New Delhi, July 30: In response to a question whether Indian Army proposed to set up a hospital in Iraq, Jaswant Singh said as part of our commitment of 20 million dollar aid in cash and kind announced in response to the UN emergency appeal for assistance to the people of Iraq, and in response to the Iraqi ministry of health's ''Adopt a Hospital'' programme, India is setting up a hospital in Najaf in Iraq. India will collaborate with the Government of Jordan in this venture. The project involves enhancement and upgradation of an existing 250-bed maternity and pediatric care hospital under the Iraqi ministry of health.

He said it is estimated that about 75 Indian doctors and support personnel will be deputed to Iraq for this purpose shortly to renovate the hospital with necessary equipment and facilities and run it until it can be handed over to the Iraqi Ministry of Health, he added. Singh also said that the government has decided to open new cultural centres overseas. This was stated by the Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

He said these new centres would be opened in China, Fiji, Malaysia and USA.

Bureau Report