The People's Republic of China after rebuilding one of the major hospitals in the Afghanistan capital Kabul has agreed to equip it with modern facilities, Afghan public Health Ministry said on Saturday.

"Provision of medical equipment to the Jumhuriat Hospital or Republican Hospital by China with a value of 2.5 million U.S. dollars is another important step in the strengthening of health system in Afghanistan," the ministry said in a statement.

Afghan Minister for Public Health Syed Mohammad Amin Fatimi and Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Yang Houlan inked the agreement on Thursday on behalf of their respective governments.

The Republican Hospital which has been reconstructed in new style with 10-story building and 20 million U.S. dollars financial support of China would be inaugurated in near future to provide service.

"Equipping and activating of Republican Hospital will benefit not only the residents of Kabul but also patients from provinces with complicated health problems," it added.

"We are thankful to the government and the people of China and would like the continuation of such assistances from them in the future," the statement quoted Minister for Public Health Fatimi assaying.

China has contributed around US$180 million towards reconstruction of the post-Taliban Afghanistan since 2002.

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2008)