A Zimbabwean official's life has been saved by Chinese physicians, after he suffered a severe brain haemorrhage.

In July, Patrick Mutume came to Beijing for a broadcast training course, but became ill upon arrival.

Moreover, his wife, who came to Beijing to accompany him in hospital, gave birth to their third child in the Chinese capital.

"I want to thank the Chinese Government and its people for saving Patrick's life," Zimbabwe Ambassador Christopher H. Mutsvangwa said yesterday during a visit to the hospital.

He also thanked the Ministry of Commerce for offering to cover all the medical costs for Mutume, and the Ministry of Health, for providing the best medical care available in China to the Zimbabwean.

The 47-year-old official, who suffered from high blood pressure, came to China for a government-sponsored broadcast training course. It was part of the expanded China-Africa Co-operation Programme announced by Premier Wen Jiabao in Africa to train more than 10,000 African personnel from 2003 to 2006.

But during the opening session of the training course, Mutume suddenly collapsed and was immediately rushed to the Beijing Tiantan Hospital.

"He was diagnosed with severe haemorrhage in his brain," physician Zhao Xingquan recalled, adding that Mutume was on the brink of death.

"After 12 hours of intensive treatment, Mutume's condition stabilized," Zhao said yesterday.

In the following months, physicians performed a tracheotomy on the official to ease his breathing, in addition to other treatment.

Now the man is recovering well in the intensive care unit, with doctors calling his recovery "amazing."

"The Ministry of Commerce went further to host Mr Mutume's spouse," the ambassador said, adding that his wife delivered a boy in another medical facility.

She will accompany Mutume back to Zimbabwe tomorrow and then come back to pick up the baby, who is still in an incubator.