China Assists Nigeria In Hospital Project

The People‘s Republic of China on Friday, in Abuja, said it would assist the Federal Government in hospital project.

Mr Wang Lei, Political Counselor to the Embassy of the People‘s Republic of China disclosed this at a meeting on harmonisation of China- Hospital Project.

He said the project was in accordance with the letters exchanged between the government of China and the Nigerian government on March 28 and March 31, 2008 in Bejing, China.

Lei said Chinese government had decided to help the Nigeria government to build a comprehensive hospital in Abuja.

He said both sides signed the design contract for the hospital on December 5, 2008 while the execution of the contract was also signed on August 7, 2009.

According to Lei, as stipulated in the contracts, the project includes six internal roads, some medical equipment with 150 beds and a total building area of 8,000 square metres.

“This project is to be completed within 20 months after the official commencement and the contractor, an Hui Construction Engineering Group Limited is now trying its best to start the work as soon as possible,” he said.

Lei said Mr Hu Jingtao, Chinese President declared eight measures to further strengthen the political and economic ties with African countries including Nigeria in Beijing.

He said the Chinese government was planning to provide the Nigeria government with various assistances in the next three years.

“This project definitely shows the friendship and partnership between our two nations,” Lei said.

In his remark, Dr Animeze Ike, Director of Hospital Services of the Federal Ministry of Health, said, “this is a wonderful development to healthcare system in the country”.

Ike said the project was conceived during a deliberation between Chinese government and Nigeria government in Beijing to donate four primary schools and one comprehensive health centre.

He said that the Ministry of Health was approached and they decided that one of its hospitals would inherit the Chinese laudable objectives.

Ike said that was how the Federal Staff Hospital was selected to inherit the China hospital project.