KAMPALA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's minister of health on Wednesday said China has been critical in boosting the development of the country's health sector.
Ruth Aceng was speaking at a ceremony welcoming a new Chinese medical team at the China Uganda Friendship Hospital in the capital Kampala.
"We thank China for the continued collaboration, cooperation and support. We acknowledge the good work these teams do in our hospitals," said Aceng.
The medical team composed of nine experts will be based at the 100-bed hospital which was donated by China in 2012.
It will offer free specialized health and medical services in the east African country for the next two years.
Aceng thanked the Chinese government for the planned refurbishment and expansion of the hospital.
"As you plan to expand the hospital we need to more specialists coming in as we collaborate. We need continued collaboration in training, capacity building, human resource and medical supplies," said Aceng.
Zheng Zhuqiang, Chinese ambassador to Uganda said the dispatch of medical teams to Uganda has become one of the major modalities of medical and health cooperation between China and African countries.
"Chinese medical teams have brought not only the high level medical treatment technology through the years, but also the traditional Chinese medical methods like acupuncture and manipulation therapy to Uganda," Zheng said.
Over the last several decades China has been sending medical teams to Uganda in order to boost the country's health care.
The first medical team arrived in Uganda in 1983 and since then, about 170 medical experts in different specialties ranging from urologists, gynecologists, orthopedics among others have served in the country.
