In the late hours of October 30, 2026, a Chinese medical team performed a life‑changing laparoscopic ureter reconstruction on Leila Salum Kanyinyi, a 38‑year‑old mother of three in Zanzibar, ending a year of debilitating lower‑back and abdominal pain. The operation was carried out at Lumumba Hospital, part of Zanzibar’s Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, and was led by Wang Wei, a urologist from China’s 36th medical team.
Before the surgery, Mr Kanyinyi’s condition had severely limited his ability to care for his children. Persistent pain in his lower back and abdomen had forced him to lie down most of the time, leaving his family in a precarious situation. Doctors at Lumumba initially diagnosed a narrowing of the right ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Further examination revealed a long section of narrowing in the lower part of the ureter, making the condition more complex than initially expected. Faced with this challenge, the local medical team sought assistance from the Chinese team, who then devised a surgical plan and assembled laparoscopic equipment donated by China.
Wang Wei performed a minimally invasive procedure known as laparoscopic Boari flap ureteroneocystostomy. The technique uses tissue from the bladder to reconstruct the damaged section of the ureter, offering an alternative to traditional open surgery that can involve greater trauma and longer recovery times.
During the operation, the Chinese specialist also trained local Zanzibar doctors, explaining surgical anatomy, procedural techniques, and preventive measures for complications. This hands‑on training was integral to the operation’s success and to strengthening future medical partnerships.
“I feel like I have been given a new life,”
Leila Salum Kanyinyi told Xinhua after the surgery, expressing gratitude for what she described as “first‑class” medical care.
The successful operation highlights growing China‑Tanzania health cooperation and demonstrates the potential for international medical teams to address complex conditions in Zanzibar while building local capacity.