Thursday, Pierre Richard Casimir, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the new Japanese Ambassador to Haiti, Mr. Kenji Kuratomi have proceeded to the signature of a grant agreement of the Japanese Government to Haiti, of one billion three hundred thirty-three million yen (± 17 million) for the reconstruction of the departmental public hospital, St-Michel de Jacmel [the only hospital in the region] that works in temporary structures, since its demolition after being rendered unusable by the earthquake of January 2010.

The Minister Casimir stated that this significant investment "will allow the Ministry of Public Health and Population, to strengthen the capacity of its health facilities to better meet the needs of the Haitian population."

The Ambassador Kuratomi, declared that through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japanese Government is proposing to construct the main building of the hospital include the emergency department, operating rooms the radiology department, the consulting services, maternity and pediatric sections and also agrees to provide advanced medical equipment to this important departmental hospital. Works should begin in March 2013.

In addition, the Japanese Ambassador declared that the Japanese government is committed, in close collaboration with the Haitian government, in staff training "We started a training in obstetric and neonatal emergency through tripartite cooperation between the governments of Japan, Haiti and Morocco."

his grant agreement is part of the Haitian-Japanese bilateral cooperation.

HL/ HaitiLibre