BARCLAY TRAINING CENTER (BTC) MONROVIA -LIBERIA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2024: The 14 Military Hospital in Margibi County is expected to benefit a new laboratory facility soon from the People’s Republic of China. The disclosure was made on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, when a Chinese technical delegation headed by Mr. Wang Jiaxin paid the Minister of National Defense, B/G. Geraldine J. George a courtesy visit at her office.

Speaking during the visit, the head of the Chinese delegation, Mr. Wang Jiaxin, who is also the counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, informed the Minister that the Chinese construction team is already in the country to commence work for the construction of the modern laboratory facility.

He said the construction of the laboratory facility was in accordance with the exchange of letters between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Liberia dated March 6, 2018, and a supplementary exchange of letters dated September 7 and October 20, 2021, in which the Government of the People’s Republic of China agreed to undertake the China-Aid Project of National Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Laboratory in the Republic of Liberia.

According to Mr. Jiaxin, the Agency for International Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China will represent his country, and the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Liberia will represent Liberia during the implementation of the project. He further explained that the two sides have conducted friendly negotiations on the implementation of the project and have reached an agreement on specific matters and thereby entered into a supplementary implementation agreement for the construction of the laboratory.

For her part, the Minister of National Defense B/G. Geraldine J. George (Rtd.), welcomed the Chinese delegation and thanked Mr. Wang Jiaxin and members of his delegation for coming to Liberia. She described China as a great partner who has always contributed towards the developmental agenda of Liberia. The Minister then promised to provide all the necessary support needed to help with the timely construction of the laboratory facility. Minister George explained that when the facility is completed, it will greatly benefit not just the Armed Forces of Liberia but the people of Liberia as well.

For his part, Mr. Ben Wang, head of the Chinese technical team, assured the Minister that the construction of the laboratory facility is expected to commence in December of this year and will last for 18 months.

Representing the technical team on the side of the Ministry of National Defense is the Assistant Minister of Civil Works, Mr. Kesselly K. Zinnah.

Assistant Minister Zinnah was then the Director for Civil Works during the construction of the 14 Military Hospital and aided in providing quality control supervision.

The 14 Military Hospital is one of the referral hospitals in Liberia, catering to many surgical operational cases from across the country.