Cape Verde inaugurates Chinese-funded maternity hospital in São Vicente

On Tuesday, the government of Cape Verde officially received the new maternity building at Dr. Baptista de Sousa Hospital, in the city of Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente. The infrastructure, built with support from China, is considered to be the largest health project carried out in the country since its independence.

The handover ceremony was attended by Cape Verde's Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, and China's ambassador to Cape Verde, Zhang Yang. In his speech, Correia e Silva highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two countries, calling the new maternity hospital a milestone in the Sino-Cape Verdean strategic partnership. "This project will significantly improve the maternal and child health system, increase the country's medical capacity and bring concrete benefits to the population," said the head of government.

Ambassador Zhang Yang, for his part, saw the handover of the maternity hospital as another symbol of the lasting friendship between China and Cape Verde. "It is a reflection of our long-term commitment to the development of the health sector in Cape Verde," he said.

The hospital's director, Helena Rebelo Rodrigues, expressed her thanks to the Chinese government and the construction teams, underlining the positive impact of the new maternity hospital on the health of women and children in the region. "This is an important milestone in the history of our hospital," she said.

The maternity hospital, built by China Railway 14th Bureau Group Co., Ltd., has 150 beds, modern delivery rooms, neonatal intensive care units and obstetric operating rooms. The project also includes technical support for two years, during which Chinese professionals will train Cape Verdean healthcare staff.