Chinese Government provides RMB 31 million interest-free loan for Praia Central Hospital Outpatient Consultation Center and OB-GYN Building Construction Project (Linked to Record ID#35065, ETCA ID#72800)

Project narrative

In December 2005, the Chinese Government and the Government of Cape Verde signed a financing framework agreement for the Praia Central Hospital Outpatient Consultation Center and OB-GYN Building Construction Project. Then, on January 11, 2006, the two governments signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed an EUR 2 million interest-free loan for the project. In December 2008, the two governments signed another Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed another interest-free loan for the project. In total, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) lent approximately RMB 31 million to the Government of Cape Verde for this project. It also provided grant funding equivalent to approximately RMB 9.5 million for the provision and installation of medical equipment at Praia Central Hospital (captured in Record ID#359). The Praia Central Hospital Outpatient Consultation Center and OB-GYN Building Construction Project involved the construction of a new obstetrics and gynaecology (OB-GYN) building (妇产科楼地下室进行局部改造) and outpatient consultation center at Agostinho Neto Hospital (HAN or Praia Central Hospital or 普拉亚中心医院) in the capital city of Praia. The outpatient building was expected to occupy 782 square meters and provide eleven specialty services: medicine, urology, ophthalmology, surgery, ear nose and throat services, trauma services, orthopedics, stomatology, allergy services, cardiology and gastroenterology. The OB-GYN center was expected to occupy 2,128 square meters. Hunan Constructing Engineering Group and China Liaoning International Cooperation Group (辽宁省国际经济技术合作集团有限) were the contractors responsible for implementation. Construction agreements were signed in May 2008. However, construction itself did not begin until March 1, 2009. An inauguration ceremony for the outpatient and OB-GYN buildings took place on May 20, 2011. The Chinese Government later funded the refurbishment of the OB-GYN building in 2012 (see Record ID#35065).