Zarif opens Iranian hospital in Uganda

Following the opening of this 50-bed hospital in the Ugandan capital on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif paid a visit to different parts of the center.  

The construction, according to Mehr, work began in Kampala 6 years ago by the Islamic Republic of Iran and was then handed over to Uganda's government.

The costs of equipping the hospital have been covered by Iran's Muslim Doctors Without Borders community and Iranian private doctors.

The hospital land belongs to Ugandan police and as such, Iran’s Red Crescent Society could not take up the construction work, thus handing over the responsibility to Doctors Without Borders.

The medical center comprises 50 hospital beds constructed on a $4 million budget in Kampala within four years. Iran’s private sector has taken up the investment in equipping the hospital.

The opening ceremony of the center took place in the presence of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa and a number of other political and military officials.

Zarif, who is visiting Uganda after his trip to South Africa as the head of a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, will leave the East African country for Niger to conclude his three-nation African tour. 

/SR