On July 24, 2024, the delegation from SHMC arrived at the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, where they met with the Minister of Health Nassor Mazrui, Director General of the Ministry, and heads of various affiliated institutions.
Dr. Zhenghong Yuan, Vice President of Fudan University and President of Shanghai Medical College, emphasized that in recent years the relations between China and Africa have deepened, creating a favorable environment for planning new cooperative blueprints and achieving common goals. He stated that with the upcoming China-Africa Cooperation Forum Summit in 2024, Shanghai Medical College hopes to continue and deepen cooperation based on the strong friendship between China and Zanzibar. The SHMC delegation further stated their goal in guiding projects that cultivate health professionals with a global perspective and contribute to building a community for human health. Minister Nassor Mazrui expressed his hope for collaboration with Shanghai Medical College in professional training and education to jointly address global health challenges.
After the meeting concluded, Dr. Zhenghong Yuan and his team visited the century-old Mnazi Mmoja Hospital and the soon-to-be-opened Mjini Magharibi-Lumumba Hospital, as well as an endoscopy center established by a medical aid team in Africa. These visits allowed them to gain insights into local healthcare resources and challenges.
The delegation also visited the Zanzibar Health Research Institute (ZAHRI), where they met with Dr. Mayassa S. Ally, Director General of Zanzibar Health Research Institute; and department heads involved in various research projects.
ZAHRI has a solid collaboration foundation with the School of Public Health of Fudan University in maternal and infant health. In 2023, both parties signed a memorandum of understanding, marking an important step toward practical cooperation. During their discussions, Dr. Zhenghong Yuan detailed Shanghai Medical College's disciplinary strengths and addressed ZAHRI's interest in faculty and student exchanges and curriculum development. He expressed hope that both sides could draw strength from past collaborations to advance key projects in infectious diseases, maternal and infant health, health management, and chronic disease management, in order to improve the health and well-being of the local population.
Following this, Dr. Zhenghong Yuan was interviewed by reporters from Zanzibar National Television. In the interview, he welcomed students and faculty from Zanzibar to engage in exchanges and studies in China. He expressed hope that this visit would enhance educational and research exchanges in health between both sides, laying a solid foundation for long-term cooperation.
