A party of Chinese health workers, which includes surgeons, cardiologists, gynaecologists and acupuncturists, is due to arrive in São Tomé and Príncipe next week to begin a three-year medical mission, Lusa reports, citing Chinese Ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe Xu Yingzhen.

The Portuguese news agency says a Sino-São Toméan agreement signed on Monday provides for the party to work at the main hospital in São Tomé and Príncipe, the Ayres Menezes Hospital, and at a clinic in Água Grande, near the capital, São Tomé.

The report quotes São Toméan Health Minister Edgar Neves as saying the mission will give healthcare in his country a big boost.

The mission is the second of its kind, Lusa says, and the report quotes Ms Xu as saying that the first greatly improved medical services in São Tomé and Príncipe by teaching São Toméan health workers lessons their Chinese counterparts learnt from experience.