Mohalenyane Phakela
The construction of Maseru District Hospital and Eye Clinic is expected to be complete by the end of this year with operations set to begin in the first quarter of 2024, Chinese ambassador to Lesotho, Lei Kezhong, has said.
Mr Kezhong visited the hospital in Maseru central business district on Monday afternoon, where he commended the work being done by the contractors. The ambassador said what he had seen was proof it would be a state-of-the-art hospital upon completion.
The 200-bed hospital was realised through the donation of CNY400 million (equivalent to M984 850 400) from the Chinese government and construction started in February 2021. On completion, it is expected to help at least 400 000 people in Maseru and other districts.
Since the hospital is being constructed under Chinese government aid, a Chinese construction company, Shanghai Construction Company, was commissioned to build the facility.
After touring the facility, Mr Kezhong told the Lesotho Times the hospital was testament to China’s commitment to help their “Basotho friends” and that the health sector had been earmarked as one of the critical sectors that needed uplifting in Lesotho. Mr Kezhong was in the company of the Chinese medical team which his country sends to Lesotho every year to help treat patients at Motebang Hospital in Leribe.
“I am confident with the progress I am seeing so far. These contractors have done a great job,” Mr Kezhong said.
“I have just been told that it will be completed by the end of this year and handed over to the government in the first quarter of 2024. The China-Lesotho relationship will be marking its 30th anniversary at the beginning of 2024, so I believe that celebration will coincide with the hospital handover.”
Mr Kezhong also explained since the majority of the equipment to be installed in the Hospital had been imported from China, his government was also prepared to train locals on how to operate the machinery and service it while training locals to eventually take over.
“Over 20 Basotho doctors will go to China to be trained on the use of the equipment which will be installed in this hospital.
“We have sent Basotho medical practitioners (doctors, nurses, technicians) to China before for short courses and this happens on an annual basis.
“You will also recall that the Chinese government has been sending doctors to Lesotho since 1997 to assist in attending patients at Motebang Hospital, donate medical equipment to the hospital and also transfer skills to local doctors. The team of nine doctors is sent every year to Lesotho. They also do outreach programmes where they offer services in the remote villages of Lesotho,” Mr Kezhong said.
He also highlighted that discussions were underway on whether the Chinese medical team would move from Leribe to Maseru upon completion of Maseru Hospital, or if his government was going to increase the quota of doctors it sends to Lesotho.
“The Chinese government has launched a project called Dream Hospitals, which encompasses about
30 African countries, including Lesotho. Under this project, we offer skills exchange and the maintenance of this hospital will also fall under that umbrella. The Ministry of Health is currently looking at this project proposal and will advise on whether they accept it,” Mr Kezhong added.
The ambassador also said he regards 2023 as “a year of harvest” because apart from Maseru District Hospital, two other major projects which were funded by the Chinese government would be completed by December. These are the 91-kilometre Mpiti-Sehlabathebe Road and 80-megawatt Ramarothole Solar Power Plant. The latter two are financed through concession loans from the Exim Bank of China.
