Zambia Signs US$2bn Deal for Lusaka Medical City in Airport City
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Zambia has signed a US$2 billion agreement to develop a Medical City in Lusaka's Airport City, a mixed-use project combining specialist healthcare with hotels, offices, shops and residential housing.
Zambia has signed a US$2 billion agreement for the development of a Medical City in Lusaka, a project the government says will reduce the need for patients to seek specialised treatment abroad and position the country as a leading medical tourism destination in Southern Africa.
Health Minister Professor Roma Chilengi signed the Memorandum of Understanding with DIHAD Sustainable Project Management L.L.C during the UAE-Zambia Business Forum in Abu Dhabi. Eng. Khaled Al Attar signed on behalf of DIHAD, while President Hakainde Hichilema officiated at the ceremony.
The Medical City will be developed in Lusaka's Airport City and will combine specialist healthcare, medical education and related facilities. At its core will be a National Paediatric Cardiac Centre for children with heart conditions and a National Renal Transplant and Kidney Disease Centre offering dialysis and kidney transplant services, alongside expanded oncology, radiotherapy and cancer diagnostics, with planned services in robotic surgery and neurosurgery.
Beyond healthcare, the development is planned as a mixed-use precinct that will include a convention centre, auditorium, outdoor theatre, three-, four- and five-star hotels, hotel apartments, offices, shops, wellness and sports facilities, parks and residential housing.
The US$2 billion figure represents the planned scale of the development rather than a direct government expenditure commitment, and the ministry has stressed that the MoU carries no financial commitment for government.
Under the agreement, DIHAD will work with a multi-sectoral government team on planning, design and project management while helping identify partners and investors to finance and construct the Medical City. Its role is focused on project management and investment mobilisation rather than sole financing, meaning implementation will depend on how quickly the required capital is secured.