Cape Verde and China will sign a co-operation agreement this week for a hospital in Cape Verde, the African nation’s news agency Inforpress reported.

The deal is is due to be sealed during the 2nd Ministerial Forum for China-Africa Health Development, being held in South Africa’s Cape Town from October 4 to 7.

Under the arrangement, China is to provide Cape Verde’s Agostinho Neto Hospital – located in the country’s capital, Praia – with specialists in gynaecology and obstetrics.

“We need those specialists to guarantee [patient] appointments, because we still have a long waiting list,” Cape Verde’s Health Minister, Cristina Fontes Lima, told broadcaster Rádio de Cabo Verde, as quoted by Inforpress.

Ms Lima noted Cape Verde is now training locals as gynaecological and obstetrics specialists and would be able to supply five more local specialists next year. “Until then, the support to be provided by China through this agreement would be very useful”, the Minister added.

Ms Lima and her Chinese counterpart will sign the agreement in South Africa. The two Ministers will also discuss other opportunities for co-operation regarding the hospital, Inforpress reported.