Brasília, December 24, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Yesterday (23), minister of Education, Paulo Renato Souza, signed contracts with the Office of the Finance Solicitor-General and domestic companies for the acquisition of equipment for the Program of Modernization and Qualification of Higher Education. Altogether there will be 5,155 pieces of equipment, in the areas of anesthesia, gasometry, screening, and new-born care, to be installed in 47 university hospitals, linked to the Ministry of Education.

The anesthesia and gasometry apparatuses cost R$ 8.1 million/US$ 2.3 million; monitoring instruments, US$ 7.2 million; and new-born care equipment, US$ 3.2 million. The program, sponsored by the Ministry of Education, is renovating and re-equipping the physical plant at 52 federal institutions of higher education and 47 university hospitals. Created in 1996, the program began the delivery of equipment in 2000 and, by the end of 2002, will have delivered equipment worth a total of R$ 548 million/US$ 156.29 million. (DAS)