By CHEN MINGJIAN AND AMB JIANG FENG
What You Need to Know
The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, emphasizing health cooperation as a vital bond. Since 1963, China has dispatched thousands of medical personnel to Africa, treating millions and enhancing healthcare infrastructure across the continent. This partnership continues to evolve, focusing on mutual support and respect for local needs.
Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, and is also the “China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges”.
Health cooperation is becoming one of the warmest bonds between our peoples. Crossing mountains and seas, Chinese medical teams to Africa have provided solid protection for the African people’s health with compassion and dedication.
Since the first medical team to Algeria in 1963, China has dispatched approximately 26,000 medical personnel to 48 African countries, treating 230 million patients. To date, China has sent 27 medical teams to Tanzania mainland and 35 to Zanzibar, providing medical treatment to nearly 30 million patients.
This March, the 17th China medical team to Namibia, the 24th China medical team to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the 23rd China medical team to Zimbabwe successively set foot on African soil, continuing their missions in saving lives.
They exemplify the spirit of the Chinese medical team “fearlessness of hardship, willingness to sacrifice, helpfulness to patients, boundlessness of love” by bringing health security to the African people.
Acceleration in upgrading China-aided health infrastructure in Africa has provided strong support for strengthening Africa’s healthcare systems. In 2025, the China-aided maternity ward building in Mindelo, Cape Verde and the Bobo-Dioulasso Hospital in Burkina Faso were successfully completed and handed over.
Positive progress has been made in various projects including the El-Maarouf National Center Hospital in the Comoros, the National Surgical Center in Mozambique, the Masaka Hospital renovation and expansion project in Rwanda, the renovation of the Friendship Hospital in the Central African Republic, the upgrade and renovation of the China-Chad Friendship Hospital in Chad, the cancer center project at the University Hospital of Gabès in Tunisia, the upgrade and expansion of Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute in Tanzania, the project of the National Clinical Diagnostic and Treatment Laboratory in Liberia, and the second phase of the expansion and modernization of the Juba Teaching Hospital in South Sudan.
The China-aided hospitals are not only important pillars of the national health system, but also trusted health “havens” for the local people. Innovation in cooperation has strengthened local capacities in Africa through “teaching a man to fish” and self-sustaining cooperation.
The China-Africa Hospital Alliance was officially established last year, marking another milestone in the health cooperation, and the establishment of a “paired hospital cooperation” mechanism with more than 40 African countries.
China has implemented a “Minimally Invasive Medicine” program in 17 African countries, including Tanzania and Zimbabwe, helping Africa enter the era of minimally invasive surgery. Through the Chinese Medical Team Maternal and Child Health Center in Zanzibar, China is training local clinicians. To date, China has trained over 150,000 medical personnel in African countries, building a local medical “workforce” with Chinese technology and standards.
Responding jointly to disease outbreaks, China-Africa public health cooperation has helped strengthen the “first line of defense” for the African people’s health.
From supporting Africa in combating Ebola in 2015, to joint efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, to the delivery of Chinaaided Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters building in 2023, the scope of China-Africa public health cooperation has continuously expanded.
The China-Africa institution cooperation networks on malaria and schistosomiasis elimination have effectively promoted bilateral technical cooperation. China has recently provided anti-malaria assistance to São Tomé and Príncipe, Comoros, Gambia, Mauritania and Ethiopia.
In 2025, Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Tanzania’s Zanzibar awarded medals to Chinese experts of the schistosomiasis control project.
The concept and practice of prioritizing prevention and combining prevention with treatment have built a “moat” to safeguard the health of the African people. An African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”, and a Chinese proverb says, “When the great way prevails, the world is shared by all”.
Health is a matter of vital importance to the well-being and interests of the people. Unlike some countries that attach political and economic interests to health cooperation, China’s health cooperation with Africa fully respects the needs and comfort of each African country.
With a strong relationship of facing challenges together for seventy years, under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the bilateral health cooperation will undoubtedly move steadily forward, making new and greater contributions to building a China-Africa community of health for all.
China and Africa have shared a diplomatic relationship since 1956, which has significantly evolved over the decades. Initially focused on political alliances, the partnership has increasingly emphasized health cooperation, particularly through the deployment of medical teams and infrastructure development. This shift reflects a broader commitment to mutual growth and support, addressing health challenges faced by African nations. The establishment of the China-Africa Hospital Alliance and various health projects showcases the depth of this collaboration, aiming to enhance healthcare systems across the continent.
Source: Daily News – Tanzania Standard Newspapers
