Construction work on the maternity and paediatric ward at Baptista de Sousa Hospital (HBS) in São Vicente was officially launched on the 15th of December. They are expected to be completed within 20 months. The project, which covers an area of 5,550 square metres, is funded by the Chinese government, with an investment of around 1.2 billion escudos. 

Present at the groundbreaking ceremony, China's ambassador to Cape Verde, Xu Jie, highlighted the programme results of the cooperation between the two countries. "I hope that the companies responsible for implementing the project, the China Urban Construction Research and Design Institute and the China Railway Fortes Bureau Group, will carefully execute the contract, guarantee the quality of the project, fulfil the task successfully and make their due contributions to improving the medical conditions of the Cape Verdean people and, at the same time, deepen the friendship between our peoples," he said.

The new HBS maternity and paediatric unit should provide around 125 beds, emergency maternity and paediatric services, outpatient care, paediatric care, inpatient care, a paediatric intensive care unit, a neonatal intensive care unit, gynaecology, obstetrics and an operating theatre.

(Source: Expresso das ilhas)