Illustrative Image: Chinese Medical Teams in Africa: A Scoping Review of Healthcare Impact, Challenges, and Strategic Opportunities
Image Source & Credit: CGTN
Ownership and Usage Policy
A recent study by Afriyie et al. (2025) titled “The role of Chinese medical teams in bridging healthcare gaps in Africa: a scoping review” published in Global Health Research and Policy by Springer Nature reveals that Chinese Medical Teams (CMTs) have significantly contributed to healthcare delivery and capacity building across 42 African countries
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Chinese Medical Teams significantly enhance healthcare delivery and capacity in Africa, despite challenges related to infrastructure, culture, language, and integration.
– Afriyie et al. 2025
This scoping review explores the structure, impact, and motivations of Chinese Medical Teams (CMTs) operating in Africa, synthesizing both English- and Chinese-language literature published between 2009 and 2022. By integrating bilingual sources, the study provides a comprehensive perspective on China’s medical aid on the African continent. The review maps out how CMT programmes are structured and delivered, examining where and for how long teams are deployed, the nature of their partnerships with local stakeholders, and the types of medical expertise and resources they contribute. It further assesses the effectiveness of these programmes in addressing basic healthcare needs, improving the quality of care, and building local health system capacity.
Additionally, the study identifies the underlying drivers of CMT deployments, including political and diplomatic ambitions, economic cooperation frameworks, and humanitarian commitments. It also highlights key barriers that limit the effectiveness of CMTs, such as inadequate infrastructure, resource constraints, cultural differences, and language challenges. Overall, this review offers critical insights into the operational dynamics, strategic motivations, and practical limitations of China’s long-standing medical engagement in Africa.
How the Study was Conducted
This scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework and adhered to the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. A comprehensive search was carried out across major English-language databases (such as PubMed and Scopus) and Chinese-language databases (including CNKI and Wanfang) up to February 2023. The inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed qualitative and quantitative studies specifically examining Chinese Medical Teams (CMTs) in Africa. Out of 1,991 records initially identified, 47 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Ultimately, 20 English and 27 Chinese studies were included in the review. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo software to extract and synthesize recurring patterns and key insights from the selected literature.
What the Authors Found
The authors found that Chinese Medical Teams (CMTs) have significantly contributed to healthcare delivery and capacity building across 42 African countries through collaborative, government-backed, and humanitarian efforts, though their impact is moderated by infrastructural, cultural, and language-related barriers.
Why is this important
Model for Global Health Aid: CMTs’ non-conditional, long-term, province-to-province “twinning” approach offers an alternative to traditional Western-style aid with political stipulations.
Rapid Emergency Response: Demonstrated adaptability during Ebola and COVID-19, suggesting a blueprint for future crisis deployments.
Need for Cultural Competency: More extensive pre-deployment language and culture training could boost effectiveness.
Flexible Staffing: Allowing healthcare volunteers beyond government assignments may fill specialized gaps.
Strengthening Local Ownership: Deeper integration with national health strategies would improve sustainability.
What the Authors Recommended
Authors’ Key Recommendations
- Improve pre-deployment training in local languages, customs, and clinical practices to enhance cultural competency and reduce misunderstandings. Adopt flexible staffing models that allow for voluntary participation and targeted recruitment of needed specialists. Enhance logistical support and align CMT activities more closely with host-country health systems to ensure sustainability and local ownership.
- Formalize and institutionalize medical training programs through accredited courses and partnerships between Chinese and African institutions. Promote “train-the-trainer” models to empower local health professionals, ensuring lasting knowledge transfer and workforce development beyond the duration of CMT missions.
- Encourage collaborative research with African scholars to ensure relevance, equity, and broader uptake. Conduct longitudinal studies to evaluate long-term health impacts, and analyze the geopolitical, economic, and financial dimensions of CMTs to inform future policy and investment strategies.
In conclusion, this scoping review underscores the significant role of Chinese Medical Teams in strengthening healthcare systems across Africa. While their contributions to service delivery, emergency response, and capacity building are commendable, addressing structural and cultural challenges through improved training, flexible staffing, and deeper integration with local systems will be essential for maximizing their long-term impact and sustainability.