Harare — A South Korean non-governmental organisation, Africa Future Foundation, will next month start construction of a hospital in Harare.

The institution will double as a centre of excellence and training for the Southern Africa region. A spokesperson for the NGO who was recently in Zimbabwe confirmed the development. "We want to establish a 200-bed hospital. It will also be a centre for excellence in medicine for the region," he said.

The hospital will house a dental centre. Equipment for the hospital has already been bought and was awaiting shipment to Zimbabwe, the spokesperson said. He said a delegation from the NGO would be in Harare in the first week of September to recruit a local chief executive officer and ancillary staff to manage construction work.

The NGO has five other hospitals in Seoul. "Coming to Zimbabwe is part of our outreach programme. The hospital will benefit Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia," he said. The South Koreans early this year promised to assist with refurbishment of Harare's water reticulation system. The deal is yet to materialise.