From December 2–7, President Luo Fengming of West China Hospital, Sichuan University (WCHSCU) led a delegation to Zambia and Kenya, calling on local government agencies, medical institutions, Chinese embassies and Chinese-invested enterprises to move the “China-Africa Hospital Alliance” from concept to concrete cooperation.

In Zambia, the team paid a return visit to Mr. Elijah Muchima, Zambia’s Minister of Health. Discussion focused on building a tele-medicine platform, upgrading medical-imaging capacity, launching online clinical services, establishing China–Zambia joint laboratories and training health professionals. Minister Muchima recalled his August tour to WCHSCU and said he was deeply impressed by its clinical strength and service culture. He expects the dialogue to lay a solid foundation for future health cooperation. President Luo stated that the visit aims to sign agreements for strategic-cooperation, tele-medicine service and sister-hospital cooperation with the International Hospital of Zambia (IHZ) and the Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital (LMUTH), and to inaugurate Zambia’s first national tele-medicine center. The partnerships will deepen collaboration in tele-medicine, academic exchange, talent development and joint research, injecting new momentum into the health sectors of both countries and benefiting their peoples.

(President Luo exchanges views with Elijah Muchima, Minister of Health of Zambia.)

(President Luo signs a cooperation agreement with IHZ and LMUTH.)

(Zambia National Telemedicine Center Inauguration Ceremony)

In Kenya, President Luo visited Kenyatta National Hospital—East Africa’s largest public hospital renowned for kidney transplantation, oncology, robotic surgery, sports medicine and infectious-disease care—and signed a memorandum of cooperation. Dr Richard Lesiyampe, CEO, expressed eagerness to strengthen collaboration in specialist training, advanced technology transfer, joint research, staff exchanges and tele-medicine platforms, specifically proposing to send a liver-transplant team to visit WCHSCU in 2026.

(The delegation visits Kenyatta National Hospital.)

Han Jing, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia and Minister-Counsellor Zhang Zhizhong in Kenya praised WCHSCU for embodying the spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative, advancing the Alliance with tangible projects and demonstrating the responsibility and confidence of China’s medical institutions.

(President Luo holds talks with Han Jing, Ambassador to Zambia, and Zhang Zhizhong, Minister-Counselor at the Embassy in Kenya, respectively.)

The delegation also toured Huawei’s Kenya office to explore how Chinese enterprises can partner with the hospital to export digital-health solutions, localize hospital IT systems and expand tele-medicine networks.

The Africa trip broadened WCHSCU’s understanding of local health-care realities and laid the groundwork for the forthcoming “China-Africa Joint Laboratory” proposal. Going forward, WCHSCU will use tele-medicine as the entry point to help Zambia and Kenya serve patients in remote regions, create sustainable mechanisms, and contribute West China wisdom and strength to the Belt and Road Initiative.