After the country became independent (1975) it was renamed in 1977 after the Mozambican resistance fighter Josina Machel and declared a historical cultural asset in 1981.

The Angolan government made it a high priority in the Five-Year Health Development Plan (2000 – 2004), but their resources were very limited.

It was supported by financial assistance by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and fundamentally renovated and refurbished.

Their project which ran from 2002 to 2005 at a cost of nearly 4 million yen also included training for staff in Japan to support and maintain the improved facilities in the hospital.

During those four years the number of patients in the hospital increased at an average annual rate of 12%.