LUSAKA — The Chinese government on Jan 7 donated more medical equipment to help Zambia tackle the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donated equipment includes ventilators, oxygen ventilators and other equipment meant to prevent and manage the pandemic.

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie said China has decided to make the donation following the outbreak of the second wave and the urgent call to respond to contain the outbreak.

He said the equipment has already arrived in the country and will be distributed to four major hospitals in the country.

"We are hoping that the equipment will go to the most needed places and we would also like to see that Chinese experience could also be used in this process of prevention," he said.

The Chinese envoy further said the government has organized another medical team comprising of 28 personnel who will be deployed in some hospitals in Zambia for a period of one year.

He said 20 of the medical personnel will be based at the country's main referral hospital in Lusaka, the country's capital while four will be deployed in Livingstone in the southern part of the country and another four will be deployed to Ndola hospital on the Copperbelt Province.

He expressed optimism that the Chinese medical team will work closely with their local counterparts to enhance the provision of medical services.

He acknowledged that Zambia was facing challenges brought by the COVID-19 but was quick to state that the good leadership and support from cooperating partners like China will enable the country to overcome the challenge.

Zambia's Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya thanked China for the timely donation, saying it will go a long way in strengthening the response to the second wave of the pandemic.

The Zambian minister said the donation was timely as it comes during the time of the second wave which was severe and has resulted in many patients requiring oxygen.

Zambia has far recorded 24,297 cumulative cases with 423 deaths.