China-Africa: China gives reference hospital to Burundi
Burundi - The Chinese government will release US$9million for the building of a national reference hospital at Bubanza, a poor province in the North-West of Burundi, a diplomatic source told PANA here.
The foundation stone of the 100-bed hospital building was laid Thursday by the Burundian Head of State, Pierre Nkurunziza, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Popular Republic of China in Burundi, Xiangi Zeng.
Once the hospital is completed, the 348,188 inhabitants of Bubanza will no longer need to travel over 60km round trip for care in far away hospitals in Bujumbura, the Burundian capital.
Beijing is said to have already delivered about 100 hospitals of the type that will be built in Burundi to different “friendly countries” in the African continent, according to Xiangi Zeng.
The Chinese government will also provide doctors to the new hospital.
For some time, China has been sending about 30 doctors annually to Burundi to help the national health sector, which suffers a chronic lack of highly qualified human resources.
In other important sectors of national life, like education, the Chinese government has built a teachers’ school at a cost over US$10million.
Bujumbura - 15/05/2009
Pana
Tags: Burundi