The Mozambican and Chinese governments signed a cooperation agreement in Maputo on Thursday 17 April for the construction of a modern National Surgery Centre at Maputo Central Hospital, the country’s largest hospital.
According to the Xinhua News portal, the new surgical building, financed by the Chinese government, will have a total area of 20,300 square metres and capacity for 475 beds. The infrastructure will include an emergency service, diagnostic and technical support units, wards, logistical support areas and administrative offices.
Ivan Manhiça, permanent secretary of the Mozambican Ministry of Health, emphasised the importance of the project for the future of public health in the country. ‘The National Surgery Centre will be more than a building. It will be a symbol of hope, ensuring that every patient who enters leaves in better condition than when they arrived,’ he said.
Manhiça also stressed that the new centre will make it possible to strengthen the national health system’s response capacity, especially in terms of specialised care, making a significant contribution to reducing the current constraints on hospital services.
Co-operation between Mozambique and China in the area of health has been growing over the last few decades. Since 1976, when the first Chinese medical team was sent to the country, 25 teams have been deployed, in an ongoing collaboration that includes medical assistance, training of health professionals and infrastructure development.
This new centre represents another solid step in the consolidation of a strategic partnership with lasting benefits for the Mozambican health system and the population in general.
