Surgeons at the Ayres Menezes Hospital in São Tomé e Príncipe have performed the first laparoscopic operation in the country, using equipment donated by China, STP-Press reports.

The São Toméan state-run news agency quotes São Toméan Health Minister Edgar Neves as saying Chinese doctors will train their São Tomean counterparts in laparoscopy techniques, giving instruction in China and São Tomé e Príncipe.

The Chinese government is forming a team of specialists which will go to São Tomé e Príncipe to train São Toméan surgeons, STP-Press quotes Chinese Ambassador to São Tomé e Príncipe Wang Wei as saying.

Last June STP-Press reported that a special telecommunications link between the West China Hospital in southwestern China and the Ayres Menezes Hospital lets doctors in China to attend to patients in São Tomé e Príncipe.