China donate funds to Zambia for tackling cholera outbreak

Beijing [China], Jan 25 (ANI): China on Wednesday donated around two million yuan to Zambia, helping them to tackle a massive cholera outbreak that has ravaged the country, particularly in the capital, Lusaka, since September last year.

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said that the government had sent a team of health experts to Zambia to work with the local authorities on how to tackle cholera, the Xinhua reported.

Yang said in a statement, "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 that Chinese enterprises have promised to sink new boreholes to help the people of Zambia to have access to clean water.

Zambia's Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya thanked China for the donations and reiterated that "China was always an all-weather friend of Zambia."

Last month, Zambian President Edgar Lungu directed the military to help fight the spread of cholera, which has killed 41 people in Lusaka so far.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), as quoted by local media reports, the outbreak began on September 28 and made more than 1,500 people sick.

It appeared to die down by October 20, with fewer than five patients reported weekly until November 5. However, the number of cases surged, with 136 people being affected since November 26. (ANI)