Mugabe says Zimbabwe has gone for 15 months without load shedding- All weather friend China says one Kariba generator to be operational before year-end

The Kariba Hydropower Expansion Project is expected to be completed in early 2018 at a cost of 355 million dollars to add 300 MW to the existing 750 MW installed capacity.

"One generator is going to be put into operation by the end of this year," he said.

He also said the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station was expected to be financed by the Chinese Eximbank while telecommunications projects were also progressing well.

In sickness and in health, the Chinese have stuck with Zimbabwe as evidenced by the agreement by China to build a pharmaceutical warehouse in Harare.

"The Harare Pharmaceutical Warehouse Project has finished the inspection work and the minute has been signed by the two sides," Huang said.

China also built a 6 million dollar hospital in rural Marondera, Mashonaland East Province, under the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The 129-bed Mahusekwa Hospital, also known as the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital and located about 70 km to the south of Harare, opened its doors to the public in 2013.

It offers emergency treatment, x-ray, ultrasound scan, maternity and dental services as well as specialist services such as CT scan, endoscopy and orthopaedics.

With a staff complement of 175 staff members including three medical doctors, the hospital is supposed to serve Marondera District which has an estimated population of around 187,000.

However, due to the extensive and specialist health services it offers, the hospital attracts people from Harare and as far as 200 km away.

China has also in recent years offered health support to Zimbabwe, including a 90 million dollar medical loan facility for the supply of medical equipment and drugs.

Harare is also implementing a water and sanitation rehabilitation project to boost water supply to the city under a 144 million dollar loan facility financed by the China Eximbank.

China has also built schools under FOCAC, and together with the Chinese community in Zimbabwe, given to charity.

"China is a friend indeed and has helped us during our times of need," said Conrad Mashingaidze, a Zimbabwean living in Harare, who added that his aunt had benefited from a free eye cataract operation offered by visiting Chinese doctors in 2011.

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