• Project aims to modernize Guinea’s health system with advanced technology

• Initiative strengthens bilateral cooperation under the 2024 FOCAC framework

• Health partnership complements ongoing economic and industrial projects

Guinea and China have signed an agreement to co-build the Sino-African Joint Medical Center, according to a statement from the Guinean presidency released on November 12.

The project aims to modernize Guinea’s healthcare system by integrating advanced medical technologies to improve disease prevention, treatment, and access to quality care.

“Our region was deeply affected by the Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which claimed lives and severely impacted our national economy. And as you know, COVID nearly forced the entire world to shut down for months,” said Prime Minister Bah Oury. He added that the creation of the center would strengthen cooperation ties between the two countries.

Guinea’s health sector faces several challenges, including limited funding, low equipment availability, and high maternal and infant mortality rates. However, in recent years, multiple initiatives have been implemented to improve access to and quality of care, with support from international partners. Among them is the Health Sector Support Project (PASS), valued at €52.9 million ($61.5 million) and financed by the government and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Beyond healthcare, cooperation between Guinea and China extends to economic and technical fields. In December 2024, both countries signed a grant cooperation agreement worth 200 million yuan (about $27 million).

Around the same period, a partnership was concluded with the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) to build an alumina refinery in Guinea with an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tons, marking a significant step in the country’s industrial development.

The signing of this agreement follows up on commitments made during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), ushering in a new phase of Sino-Guinean collaboration.