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Li Jie (R), Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, hands over medical materials to Davies Mwila, secretary-general of Zambia's governing party, during a donation ceremony in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, on June 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Martin Mbangweta)
The Zambian government commended the Chinese CDC for helping build the capacity of laboratories to test for COVID-19.
LUSAKA, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government has commended the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese CDC) for helping build the capacity of laboratories to test for COVID-19.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said on Saturday the Chinese CDC was among global partners that have been key in boosting the capacity of laboratories to test for COVID-19.
Speaking during a daily COVID-19 update, the health minister named the other partners as the American CDC, African CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO).
He said the government will continue collaborating with the partners in order to boost testing capacity following increased cases being recorded in the country.
A woman wearing a face mask buys oranges at a market in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, on Aug. 18, 2020. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)
According to him, the capacity to test has been hampered by global challenges such as problems in the aviation sector as well as manufacturing capacity which has been outstripped by demand.
He further said the government intends to incorporate laboratories from the private sector in order to ramp up the testing capacity and hoped that the supply chain for testing diagnostic equipment will soon ease.
Meanwhile, the country recorded 204 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the cumulative cases to 10,831. The new cases were picked from 785 tests done.
The country also recorded 505 recoveries in the last 24 hours, bringing the total recoveries to 9,942 while two deaths were recorded, bringing the total deaths to 279.
