MoH to spend over Dh 2 bn in new medical facilities

New hospitals, clinics, laboratories, cardiac centres and nursing schools will come up in Dubai and Northern Emirates at an estimated total cost of over Dh 2 billion, Health Minister Humaid Al Qattami has disclosed.In an interview with Arabic daily Al Ittihad, the Minister said that a new Dh 100 million ministry premises in Dubai will be ready by mid-2008.The Minister said that a consultant had been hired to conduct designs for reconstruction of the 200-bed Hope Psychiatric Hospital in Dubai at a total cost of Dh 350 million. According to him, a Dh 25 million dental clinic at Hor Al Anz in Dubai will be executed in 16 months and a Radiation Protection Laboratory will be completed by year-end.In neighbouring Sharjah, the Minister explained that the health sector will see the construction of the 200-bed Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in the tune of Dh 350 million, five primary health clinics, a Dh 28 million dental clinic at Khor Fakkan.''Dh 20 million was earmarked for building an open heart surgery centre in Sharjah which will be the first of its kind in the Northern Emirates, Al Qattami added.As for Ajman, he said a Dh 150 million expansion project at the Sheikh Khalifa Hospital was on progress to add a gynecology ward. Work will be completed by end of December 2008.By next year, he said the Ministry will take delivery of a Dh 50 million hospital at Massfout, a Dh 20 million dental clinic, a Dh 30 million preventive medicine clinic and a Dh 10 million primary health centre.Turning to Umm Al Quwain, the Health Minister announced that contractors will be invited in September to submit offers for building the 200 bed Umm Al Quwain hospital at an estimated cost of Dh 400 million.Centres preventive medicine, school health, dental and primary health were also under construction.Al Qattami said that Dh 600 million had been earmarked for the construction of the Ras Al Khaimah specialised hospital. Work will start early next year.The Sham hospital will be reconstructed at a total cost Dh 100 million.A primary health care centre at Gulfar will be opened next month.Plans for the emirate also envisaged a Dh 10 million health centre and a Dh 25 million nursing institute.In Fujairah, he said Dh 25 million will be spent on building a nursing school and Dh 60 million to add a maternity and childcare ward at Fujairah hospital.''The Massafi hospital which cost Dh 70 million will be ready during the current year,''he added. Source