PRC Builds Huge Hospital in Nimba Publication Date: March 9, 2010 - 1:18am Updated: March 9, 2010 - 4:14pm News Section: Community News Partial view of Tappita Hospital nearing completion Ellen Calls It ‘A Promise Fulfilled’ By: Alva Mulbah Wolokolie back from Nimba County The People's Republic of China (PRC) has embarked on the construction of a state-of-the-art hospital in Tappita, Nimba County. The 100-bedroom hospital, which is being built at an estimated cost of US$10 million, is nearing completion with plans to have it formally dedicated for use before July 26, 2010. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was, over the weekend, led on a guided tour of the hospital facilities by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the PRC accredited to Liberia, Zhou Xuhiao. During the tour, Ambassador Zhou said the construction of the hospital is part of his government's effort to assist the Government of Liberia (GOL) in the provision of basic social services for its people. Ambassador Zhou said the development initiatives by the PRC in Liberia was on account of the cordial relations subsisting between the PRC and Liberia and the trust PRC has in the Liberian Government led by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. According to him, the construction of the hospital was a response to a request by President Sirleaf to the PRC. The Chinese Envoy added that besides Tappita Hospital, PRC is constructing Fendell campus of the University of Liberia (UL). According to the PRC Ambassador, during the discussion with President Sirleaf for the construction of the hospital, he (Ambassador Zhou) had told the Liberian leader that it would be better to construct it in Monrovia but President Sirleaf strongly suggested that such structure should be built in Tappita, Nimba County. The Chinese Ambassador assured Liberians of his government's support to providing medical doctors for the hospital for its smooth operation. Upon the completion of the hospital, Ambassador Zhou disclosed, 171 modern medical equipment in addition to a C.T. Scanner (an instrument used to examine with a sensing device) will also be provided by the PRC. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in response to the Ambassador's remarks, recalled that it was in 2006 during her visit to Tapatta that citizens of that city appealed to her for the construction of a hospital. At the time, the President said, she told the citizens that Government did not have money to build a hospital owing to budgetary constraints. He added that she assured the people of Tappita that her Government would make an appeal to friendly governments for assistance in meeting the medical needs of the people of Tappita. The Liberian Chief Executive indicated that after the government of China had agreed to provide the funds, she would have told the PRC to renovate the now dilapidated Executive Mansion on Capitol Hill, Monrovia, where she is supposed to live and work. Instead, the President said, she decided to place premium on two basic projects including construction of the Tappita Hospital and the Fendell Campus of the UL. She thanked the citizens and leaders of Tappita for providing the land on which the hospital is being constructed. The President described the implementation of the two projects, Fendell Campus of the UL and Tappita Hospital as 'a promised fulfilled'. Since 2003 when China and Liberia reassumed diplomatic relations, China has been involved in Liberia's post-war reconstruction. Many Chinese aid workers are currently contributing to the socio-economic development of Liberia. 0Copyright Liberian Observer - All Rights Reserved. This article cannot be re-published without the expressed, written consent of the Liberian Observer. Please contact us for more information or to request publishing permission.

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