DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- China and Tanzania on Saturday signed an implementation agreement for the expansion of the China-aided Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI).
The 28th Chinese medical team to mainland Tanzania also donated medical equipment and medicines at the event to support healthcare services across the country.
The agreement was signed by Grace Magembe, permanent secretary of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, and Chen Mingjian, Chinese ambassador to Tanzania, at a ceremony held at the JKCI in Dar es Salaam.
The expansion project, to be implemented at Mloganzila on the outskirts of the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam, is funded by a Chinese government grant.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Magembe said the signing marked an important phase in fulfilling commitments made under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The expansion would strengthen the JKCI as a center of excellence for cardiovascular services, while promoting technology transfer, research and innovation and expanding access to specialized treatment, she added.
Chen said the project would include a new 100-bed building, research laboratories and administrative facilities to meet the growing demand for cardiac services. The ambassador noted that the supplies donated by the Chinese medical team would soon be put into use for patient care at health facilities across the country.
Liu Jia, head of the 28th Chinese medical team to mainland Tanzania, said the team had provided more than 2,000 outpatient consultations and performed nearly 2,000 surgeries since arriving in Tanzania in April 2026, adding that the team would continue supporting clinical practice, surgical mentoring, training and skills transfer.
