Japan is set to fund construction of a multimillion health institute in Zimpeto, in the neighborhood of Maputo. This follows the laying of first stone by Mozambican Health Minister Nazira Abdula and Japanese ambassador Akira Mizutani on Monday this week.
The health institute will be named Maputo Institute of Health sciences (ICSM), and the funding of the construction project will be provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency – it will give the whole amount required ($18.46 million).
Fifteen classes, a 160-capacity dormitory, 6 labs and a computer center and the facilities will be expected to serve 900 students. Dai Nippon Construction is the contractor for the project, while a Japanese consortium (formed by Matsuda Consultants International and Intem Consulting) will supervise the construction project.
According to the Mozambique minister for Health during the laying of the first stone, the institute will supplement the health sector needs in the country such as the capacity of Maputo Health Science Institute.
“Courses will be given here that we don’t have in the current Maputo Health Science Institute, which is already too small for our needs,” said Nazira Abdulla.
Maputo Institute of Health sciences (ICSM) is aimed at providing middle-leveled health staffs and will provide variety of courses in nursing, mother and child health, preventive medicine, laboratories, and maintenance of hospital equipment.
Maputo Institute of Health Sciences will be the Mozambique’s 7th mid-level health institute and the 2nd in Maputo. The country has large plans for construction of more hospital facilities.
It was announced last year that the country would invest US$ 30m in construction of new hospitals in Sofala Province, one in Beira and another in the rural Marromeu district. The two would be built under a memorandum of understanding by the Dutch, French and Mozambican governments. The two would also help ease congestion on current facilities and the government said it would provide trained medics, nurses, laboratory and X-ray technicians for the facility. Another project announced is construction of Nampula General Hospital.
