HE the Prime Minister visiting the Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City project site in the presence of HE the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning, HE the Minister of Public Health, president of Ashghal and other officials.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani has visited worksites of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal)’s projects in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City.
More than 80% of work on the project has been accomplished, Ashghal said in a statement yesterday.
During the visit, HE the Prime Minister was accompanied by HE the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Khalifa al-Thani and HE the Minister of Public Health Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani.
Receiving them was Nasser bin Ali al-Mawlawi, president of Ashghal, along with the director of Buildings Affairs and head of Healthcare Projects in the authority.
Al-Mawlawi and the other Ashghal officials gave a presentation on the progress of work on the construction of the Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City Hospitals project, which spans over about 227,000sq m.
The project includes three specialised hospitals, a scientific centre for medical research and a bio-bank. It also comprises the Additional Operation Rooms Building project of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), which aims to increase the capacity of the surgical department and improve surgical services through the construction of a new building located between the Women’s Hospital and the emergency section.
The Additional Operation Rooms Building includes 20 operation theatres and new associated facilities over an area of more than 9,250sq m.
HE the Prime Minister and the other ministers were briefed on the works that have been implemented and which represent great strides accomplished by the authority in the implementation of these projects, whether in the construction of buildings or in the preparations and internal works, the statement points out.
Preparatory works for operation rooms, including medical and surgical equipment, were added to the project. Besides, some changes were made, which were required for the operational process to meet the needs of HMC and Supreme Council of Health in order to save time by starting operations with the completion of implementation in the shortest period possible, the statement adds.
HE Sheikh Abdullah stressed the importance of completing the three hospitals and the Additional Operation Rooms Building project as soon as possible, to be ready for operation with their full equipment by mid-2015.
On the occasion, al-Mawlawi said: “The visit of HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani to the worksites of Hamad Medical City projects comes as a complement to His Excellency’s visit to these projects in December 2013. This indicates His Excellency’s keenness to carefully and closely monitor the projects’ implementation progress and reflects the country’s keenness and commitment to support and implement the important development projects that meet the needs of citizens and residents, especially in the healthcare sector.
“This also reflects His Excellency’s keenness to provide full support to Ashghal and all the ministries and responsible agencies to complete these projects according to the scheduled time plans and the required quality and standards.”
Construction of the Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City Hospitals project, with a total cost of more than QR2.4bn, has passed through several stages of development and design after studying medical service requirements in order to meet HMC’s needs. Hyundai Company was contracted to implement the project and the works started in February 2011. Currently, the final stages preceding the delivery of the project are being completed and around 81% of the total works of the project has been accomplished, according to the statement.
The project includes four buildings: Women’s Hospital, Ambulatory & Minimally Invasive Surgical Hospital, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Hospital and Translational Research Institute & Bio-Bank.
The opening of these facilities will enhance the ability of the healthcare sector to accommodate a larger number of inpatients and outpatients by providing an additional number of rooms and beds and reducing patients’ waiting periods.