Chinese firm donates medical equipment

Shamiso Makiwa Herald Reporter
China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) on Monday donated emergency medical equipment to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development at Harare International Airport.

The handover ceremony, attended by Zimbabwean and Chinese government officials, was seen as an event cementing the relationship between the two countries.

The donation of Resuscitation Equipment included two defibrillators, 21 First Aid Kits, 4 wheel chairs and gloves.

In his acceptance speech, Transport Deputy Minister Engineer Michael Madanha said the donated equipment would go a long way towards providing critical emergency care for the travelling public.

“I want to take this time to thank our Chinese friends for the continued affirmation of the relationship between People’s Republic of China and Zimbabwe.

“We hope they will continue to partner with us in other areas as we seek to provide the best affordable health care technology in all our institutions,” said Eng Madanha

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Huang Ping said China will donate $6 billion to African countries in the next three years and Zimbabwe being the closest friend is going to benefit more.

“The donation is another testament of the China-Zimbabwe relationship which goes back as far as before Zimbabwe’s independence.

“China helped Zimbabwe since then and will continue to do so as this relationship is growing into something big,” said Mr Huang Ping.

Mr Huang also highlighted that more than 10 000 Chinese living in Zimbabwe are living in harmony with locals.

Mr Huang said the Chinese community hosted a party for more than 300 orphans from different orphanages in the country on Africa Day.

The CMEC president Mr Zhang Chun said they saw the need to give quality healthcare to Zimbabweans and all other travellers who come through the Harare International Airport.

The donation of the emergency medical equipment from the CMEC stands as a signifier of the growing relationship between China and Zimbabwe which is a “push-pull” kind of relationship as Mr Hwang noted.