Operating in Tandem
Chinese experts in São Tomé and Príncipe cooperate with local farmers to raise medical standards in the breeding industry
Santomean pig farmer Simão Vicente was hopeful when he came to ask Zou Rui for help. His pig was suffering from hernia, and Zou, a 42-yearold Chinese agricultural expert working in São Tomé and Príncipe, was the only person on the island who could provide emergency surgery.
Swine hernia is a common disease in São Tomé and Príncipe, with an incidence rate of 12 percent. However, due to backward medical standards in the archipelago’s breeding industry, many sick animals cannot be treated in time. This results in unnecessary deaths of animals and huge financial losses for farmers.