LUSAKA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government on Wednesday donated about two million yuan (314,000 U.S. dollars) to help Zambia tackle a cholera outbreak that has ravaged especially Lusaka, capital of the southern African country.
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said during a ceremony at the Ministry of Health that the Chinese government has also sent a team of experts to work with authorities in Zambia on how to contain cholera.
Apart from the donation from the government, the Chinese embassy also donated a further 50,000 Zambian Kwacha (about 5,000 U.S. dollars) towards the fight against cholera, while Chinese enterprises have so far provided over one million Kwacha (about 100,000 U.S. dollars) in cash donation, Yang added.
He further said the Chinese enterprises have promised to sink new boreholes as a way of helping communities have access to clean water.
The Chinese ambassador also signed an agreement with the Zambian authorities towards cooperation in fighting cholera.
On his part, Zambia's Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya thanked the Chinese government for the donation, saying China has always been an all-weather friend.
The Zambian minister said China has done a lot in helping Zambia in the health sector as evidenced through the sending of 20 medical teams to date as well as helping in the improvement of health infrastructure.
Cholera broke out in October last year in Lusaka, with 3,444 cases recorded so far and over 70 deaths.
But the Zambian minister expressed optimism that the battle will soon be won as the country has recorded drastic reduction in new cholera cases.
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