China-Africa Cooperation: Chinese doctor's last day in Zambia

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China has since the 1960s routinely sent medical teams to Africa to provide assistance to over 40 countries. Over 20,000 Chinese doctors have assisted with the continent's many health needs. Our reporter Li Jianhua visits a Chinese doctor who's wrapping up his time in Zambia's Levy Mwanawasa hospital to find out what his daily routine was like.

It's the last day in Levy Mwanawasa hospital for Chinese cardiologist Wang Weimin. It's also his last day in Zambia.

Doctor Wang spent just over a year here.

He routinely performed checkups and other procedures on patients in this cluttered, disorganized medical center. Due to the lack of funding, the hospital has only 150 beds, while the number of patients is overwhelming.

Wang said the decision was not easy to make in the beginning.

WANG WEIMIN CARDIOLOGIST IN ZAMBIA "To be completely honest, I didn't know much about Zambia back then, including the epidemic here, harsh living environment and social security issues; and because of that, I did have much pressure when making the decision. But after talking to my family, I finally made the decision to come here."

On Wang's last day he talked to the younger doctors about this and other issues and he said he had a strong connection with the people here.

WANG WEIMIN CARDIOLOGIST IN ZAMBIA "We have established a strong friendship with the local people over the past year, especially with our Zambian colleagues. Since China's Reform and Opening up in the 1970s, a large number of African students have studied medicine in China. Their studies in China deepened their understanding of China, and established strong ties."

Chief among those "ties" is his "Zambian daughter", a young doctor who studied in China for five years.

KABONDE NAOMI ZAMBIAN DOCTOR "They are leaving. I feel so bad. Zambia will lose out a lot because they were really helping us out. So I'm feeling bad, and I'm hoping when they go back, they have a safe safe life, and (they could) come back here, so that they can continue helping us here."

Last day, of 379 of them, like every other regular day, he checks up on his patients' cases, making sure everything is in order.

Taking off his white gown, he puts the final touches on his one year in Zambia. In the meantime, the next batch of Chinese doctors are on their way as he leaves. Li Jianhua, CGTN, Lusaka, Zambia.