A Chinese corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to build an oral cholera vaccine facility in Zambia.
Jijia International Medical Technology, a Chinese company, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), a Zambian government investment agency, in the presence of President Hakainde Hichilema and the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Han Jing.
Su Yonglin, the Chinese firm’s deputy general manager, stated that the company was honored to collaborate with Zambia to begin manufacturing the cholera vaccine as part of the first phase of local production.
The company, he said, will introduce China’s sole cholera vaccine, an innovative oral capsule developed from the research of the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences.
According to him, the vaccine presents one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine, serving as a critical tool in the control and elimination of diseases.
He added that the company plans to introduce more human and animal vaccines in Zambia.
Zambian President Hichilema thanked his Chinese counterpart for making Zambia’s aim of starting vaccine production a reality, noting that the deal will make Zambia the first African country to manufacture the cholera vaccine.
According to him, Zambia was one of the high-risk countries, with over 20,000 cholera cases and over 700 deaths during the 2023-2024 outbreak. The vaccination facility will service not only Zambia but the entire region and Africa.
The Chinese ambassador stated that the embassy will support the project because the vaccines would go a long way toward controlling cholera in Zambia.
