MOFCOM provides RMB 64.35 million grant for Comprehensive Medical Center Construction Project

Project narrative

On November 23, 2022, Solomon Islands Health Minister, Dr. Culwick Togamana, and Ms. Gong Rui, Economic and Commercial Counsellor from the Chinese Embassy, signed a grant implementation agreement for the new NRH Comprehensive Medical Center in the Solomon Islands. The ceremony was witnessed by the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands Li Ming. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of the Government of the Solomon Islands and the Government of People's Republic of China (PRC) for the construction of a 4-floor medical center at the National Referral Hospital. The facility was expected to provide cardiac, nephrology, and urology care, including diagnostics and treatment, with China funding the infrastructure, medical equipment, and two years of maintenance and personnel training. Ambassador Li highlighted that this project, along with the Pacific Games Stadium, was part of an October 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the Chinese Government and the Government of the Solomon Islands. The Chinese Government was expected to handle the tendering process, while the Government of the Solomon Islands was expected to prepare the land and groundwork. As of November 23, 2022, 7 experts from Central South Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd (CSADI) had completed their on-site study with the project's design plan. China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) then awarded an RMB 64.35 million project implementation contract to Jiangsu Jiangdu Construction Group Co., Ltd in October 2023. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on December 17, 2023. Then, on January 24, 2025, a project completion ceremony took place. At the ceremony, the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, noted that the medical center would provide heart, kidney and urinary tract health treatments as well as Chinese traditional medicine and acupuncture services. He also announced that a highly skilled Chinese Medical Team (CMT) would soon arrive for a three-year deployment 'to ensure continuity in capacity development and skills enhancement' at the new medical center.