Mozambique: Chapo Lays First Stone for Construction of National Surgical Center

4 August 2026
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
By Alberto Massango

Maputo — Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Monday laid the first stone for the construction of the National Surgical Center, a strategic facility designed to boost the country's capacity for specialized surgeries and reduce the need to transfer patients abroad.

The infrastructure, funded by the Chinese government and scheduled for completion within 24 months, is budgeted at about 40.5 million US dollars. It will be built on the grounds of Maputo Central Hospital, the country's largest health facility.

The facility consists of an eight-floors building with a capacity of 475 beds, including intensive care units--as well as 14 operating rooms and departments for emergency care, medical imaging, laboratory services, and other support areas.

According to the President, speaking during the inauguration, the infrastructure will strengthen the country's National Health System, providing the country with highly complex medical and surgical services.

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"For decades, citizens requiring specialized procedures were forced to seek treatment abroad, primarily in South Africa, Portugal, and India, through medical referral boards. This practice required high costs for both families and the State", he said.

But now, he said, the National Surgical Center will reverse this situation "and enable Mozambican doctors trained and specialized abroad to find the appropriate technological conditions within the country to apply the knowledge they have acquired."

"This investment represents a step toward strengthening the country's health sovereignty and its scientific and technological capacity. The quality of the new facility will depend not only on technology but also on valuing healthcare professionals", he said.

Chapo also said that the country needs to continue investing in the training and professional development of doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, technicians, and other staff. "Investment in health should be viewed not merely as public expenditure, but as an investment in human capital, productivity, and the country's economic and social development", he said.

The President added that the construction of the Surgical Center is the result of cooperation between Mozambique and China.

Read the original article on AIM.

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