Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jian Thursday laid the foundation stone for the China-funded new main building project of Jamhuriat Hospital, a major one in Afghan capital Kabul.

 

With an investment of some US$15.69 million, the project will bring Afghan patients a 10-storeyed new main building boasting 350 beds and a total construction area of 16,611 square meters, which, according to officials, will be among the best hospitals in the war-plagued country.

 

Warmly welcoming the generous donation and assistance from China, Karzai, in his keynote address, thanked the Chinese government and said the hospital will considerably benefit the local patients by providing them more direct and immediate access to better medical facilities.

 

Taking it as a symbol of Sino-Afghan friendship, the Chinese Ambassador Liu Jian told Xinhua the project is part of China's active efforts in helping with Afghan postwar reconstruction.

 

China will do its best to ensure the smoothness, safety and quality of the landmark project, Liu said.

 

The construction will start soon by this year-end, and it will take about 18 months to finish the work, according to Liu Shengying, Executive Director for Overseas Division of China Railway Shisiju Group Corporation, the contractor for the main building project.

 

The project also includes a four-floored out-patient department, and a technology building with three floors.

 

Besides funding the construction of the main building, China will also equip the hospital with some medical furniture and instruments, according to agreements reached by the governments of China and Afghanistan, separately in 2003 and 2005.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2006)