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NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo
attends signing ceremony for new hospital in the Congo
Washington, D.C.
On Monday, March 1, 2004, at the offices of the Louis Berger Group, NBA
All-Star Dikembe Mutombo (New York Knicks) provided his signature to
finalize agreements between the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation and the BeSix
Corporation (contractors) for construction of the Biamba Marie Mutombo
hospital. Several representatives from the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation and
Samuel Mutombo (Dikembe�s father) were also on hand to witness this
important event.
Mutombo created his Foundation in 1997 to improve the health, education
and quality of life for the people in his homeland, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. One major project of the Foundation is the
construction of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named in memory of
Mutombo�s beloved mother. This 300-bed teaching hospital will be located
in the capital city of Kinshasa to provide specialized care to the city�s
poorest residents and train Congolese health professionals with the latest
developments in health care. The hospital�s completion in late 2006 will
mark the first new medical facility built in the DR Congo in almost 40
years.
Diseases that have long been eradicated from most developed countries
still take an enormous toll on Congo�s people. The DR Congo is among 22
countries most affected by tuberculosis with approximately 150,000 new
infections each year. Malaria is the most common cause of death for
children and is a major source of morbidity for pregnant women.
After the signing ceremony, Mutombo stated, �the construction of this new
hospital will benefit future generations by allowing them to lead healthy,
productive lives�.
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