Angolan President Inaugurates New General Hospital in Bengo
Caxito — In a significant boost to healthcare infrastructure, the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, inaugurated the new General Hospital of Bengo on Monday, a facility poised to enhance medical services in the town of Bucula, about five kilometers from Caxito.
According to Angola Pres News Agency, The hospital, named after Reverend Guilherme Pereira Inglês, boasts 200 beds and 15 clinical areas across 24 blocks, including six residences for medical staff and a hemodialysis center. It is also designed to serve as a training and scientific research center, offering services in general medicine, pediatrics, and surgery.
The construction of the hospital, which occupies 15,900 square meters, started in July 2021. It was built by the NorÁfrica company with an investment of approximately 63 million and 180 thousand dollars by the government.
According to the Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, the new facility aims to become a benchmark in providing humanized, high-quality care, as well as in scientific research and professional training. The project has created around 650 direct jobs across various skill levels.
This tertiary level hospital will provide medium and high complexity services, which is expected to significantly reduce the need for patient evacuations to Luanda or abroad. It will cater to the residents of Bengo as well as those from neighboring provinces.
Reverend Guilherme Pereira Inglês, the namesake of the hospital, was a celebrated figure in Angola’s struggle for liberation from colonial rule. A nationalist, religious leader, political figure, and social activist, Inglês played a crucial role in the country’s journey toward freedom. He was born on February 28, 1906, and committed his life to developing educational institutions for the youth. He is also the father of Luzia Inglês, the former secretary of the Angolan Women’s Organization (OMA).
The health network in Bengo includes six municipal hospitals, two general hospitals, 22 health centers, one maternal and child hospital, and 73 health posts. The province employs 105 specialty interns, 26 expatriate specialist doctors, 29 national specialist doctors, 1,477 nurses, 398 diagnostic and therapeutic technicians, and 237 hospital support staff, totaling 2,430 health professionals.