Members of the 35th batch of the Chinese medical team to Tanzania's Zanzibar provide ear and eye checkups for residents during a free medical clinic in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Oct. 8, 2025. (The 35th batch of the Chinese medical team in Zanzibar/Handout via Xinhua)

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The 35th batch of the Chinese medical team to Tanzania's Zanzibar on Wednesday held a free medical clinic at the Botanic Garden, providing services to residents in rural and remote areas.

The event aimed to deliver quality medical services directly to local communities and ease the challenge of limited healthcare access, especially for women, according to Bao Zengtao, head of the Chinese medical team.

The clinic attracted around 400 residents, more than 80 percent of whom were women, and provided smooth, well-organized consultations and treatments that received praise from the public. The event featured a full range of departments, including ophthalmology, dermatology, gynecology, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as well as respiratory, gastroenterology, dentistry, otolaryngology, urology, general surgery, and radiology services.

The clinic offered one-stop services such as health consultations, examinations, and specialized treatments. Electrocardiogram and ultrasound tests were also provided, while the TCM section stood out as a major highlight. Techniques such as acupuncture and massage drew strong local interest, creating an atmosphere of cultural exchange and medical cooperation, Bao said.

"This outreach program has brought professional and compassionate medical care right to people's doorsteps," said Maryam Hamdu Khalfan, a regional medical officer from Zanzibar's Ministry of Health.

"The event showcased the professionalism, teamwork, and humanitarian spirit of China's overseas medical missions," she said, adding that it not only delivered health services but also strengthened the bridge of friendship between China and Zanzibar, demonstrating China's positive role in global public health.

"We will continue to serve the people of Zanzibar with dedication and compassion, safeguarding their health with our expertise and care," Bao said.

Since 1964, China has continuously dispatched medical teams to Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. Over the past six decades, 35 teams comprising nearly 900 medical personnel have worked in the region, providing healthcare services, training local professionals, and passing on medical skills. ■