The first 52 patients have been admitted to the newly opened general hospital and maternity hospital built with Chinese support to serve the northeastern Angolan province of Lunda Sul, Angop reports.

The Angolan state-run news agency says the patients had previously received medical attention at old facilities which the new hospitals replace.

The report says US$68 million cost of the new hospitals was paid with money borrowed from China.

The new facilities together occupy 45,000 square metres, have 300 beds, are wired for remote consultations and have room for three surgical operations to be performed at the same time, Angop says.

In 2012 Angop reported that China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co. Ltd, a Chinese state-owned company, had the contract to build the new facilities.