Japan Donates Hospital, 34 New Ambulances

Nicaragua’s public health system received a major shot in the arm last week thanks to several generous donations from the government of Japan, which provided funding for a modern new hospital in the central department of Boaco and donated 34 new ambulances to the government, including three ambulance-boats, to help provide better health services throughout the nation.

At a cost of $14.5 million, the new Father “José Nieborowsky” Hospital was inaugurated last week in Boaco at an event attended by President Daniel Ortega, Japanese Ambassador Shinichi Saito and Health Minister Guillermo González, who hailed the hospital as the most modern public hospital in all of Nicaragua. The 111-bed hospital will benefit 420,000 residents of Boaco and the Caribbean coast.

Minister González said the hospital will get one of the new ambulances, and the other 33 will benefit some 2 million Nicaraguans in 21 municipalities across the country, including remote areas of the Caribbean coast.

Saito said his country’s aid for Nicaragua is focused on health and infrastructure. Japan, he said, is also helping to build 32 bridges, 16 health centers, 900 kilometers of rural roadways and 410 schools.

–Tim Rogers