A modern hospital built with Chinese assistance is emerging as a vital pillar safeguarding the health of local residents in Lesotho in southern Africa. Recently, the medical aid project in Lesotho undertaken by the POWERCHINA Zhongnan Engineering Corporation Limited has been commended by the Agency for International Economic Cooperation (AIECO) of the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). As a model of China's healthcare cooperation with Africa, the project has passed final evaluation with an "excellent" quality rating, fully demonstrating the professional standards and sense of responsibility represented by the Hunan-based enterprises in overseas aid construction.

For a long time, Lesotho has faced a shortage of medical resources. The Maseru Regional Hospital and Ophthalmology Clinic project stands as a landmark initiative in public health assistance over the 40-plus years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Lesotho. It has become one of the key projects implementing the principles of "China and Africa advancing hand in hand, pursuing win-win cooperation, and achieving common development," as well as the "China-Africa Public Health Cooperation Plan."

The project is located in Maseru, the capital of the Kingdom of Lesotho. Construction commenced in late April 2021 and was fully completed by late February 2024. With a total construction area of 23,900 square meters and a total investment exceeding 430 million yuan, the project was funded by the Chinese government's foreign aid program. The project integrates medical care, teaching, and research functions, equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities including ultra-high-end dual-source CT scanners, digital X-ray imaging systems, and multiple advanced operating rooms meeting the World Health Organization's ISO Class-5 clean standards. The design team ingeniously leveraged Lesotho's characteristics of abundant sunlight and significant diurnal temperature variations by innovatively incorporating solar water heating systems and specialized exterior wall materials, balancing energy efficiency and environmental sustainability with structural durability.

The project has significantly enhanced Lesotho's healthcare service capacity since its implementation and has played a positive role in elevating medical standards across southern Africa. Currently, the project hospital stands as one of the most technologically advanced and comprehensively equipped medical institutions in southern Africa. This achievement has earned high praise from the Lesotho side. In May 2024, the Ministry of Health of Lesotho issued a special letter expressing its sincere gratitude to the project management team of the POWERCHINA Zhongnan Engineering Corporation Limited for its professionalism, efficiency, and dedicated efforts during the pandemic.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Yu Jiangjiang

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn