Handover ceremony held between Chinese medical teams in Tanzania

Seif Shekalaghe, permanent secretary of Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese government and medical teams, praising their vital role in medical treatment, technical support, and talent training.

DAR ES SALAAM, April 9 (Xinhua) — The handover ceremony between the 27th and 28th batches of Chinese medical teams in Tanzania was held on Wednesday in the port city of Dar es Salaam.

Seif Shekalaghe, permanent secretary of Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese government and medical teams, praising their vital role in medical treatment, technical support, and talent training.

Shekalaghe noted that Chinese medical teams’ contributions have significantly improved Tanzania’s healthcare services and the well-being of its people.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian highlighted the long history of medical cooperation, recalling that China began sending medical teams to Zanzibar in 1964 and to mainland Tanzania in 1968.

To date, 35 batches of medical teams have served in Zanzibar and 28 in mainland Tanzania, providing care to about 20 million patients and helping local hospitals bridge critical technical gaps, Chen noted.

The newly arrived 28th medical team consists of 15 members specializing in fields such as anesthesiology, neurosurgery, and cardiovascular surgery.

Team leader Liu Jia said the group will focus on local healthcare needs, apply their expertise, and work to strengthen medical service capacity, furthering China-Tanzania health collaboration and benefiting communities.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Chen and Tanzanian representatives paid tribute to Zhang Junqiao, the late head of the 27th Chinese medical team, who lost his life on June 15, 2025, while rescuing a local person from drowning in the Indian Ocean.  ■