Brazilians to design prestige Saudi hospital site

The new female-only hospital in Riyadh is intended to attract medical tourists from across the GCC

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The responsibility for a hospital a Saudi Arabian prince wishes to be seen as an "icon" in the Middle East has been awarded to a Brazilian company.

Prince Abdulaziz Bin Mishaal Al Saud, who presides over the Al Shoula Holding Group, wants the brand new female-only hospital in the Kingdom’s capital Riyadh to be seen as one which attracts women from other countries in the region to Saudi Arabia.

And after negotiations, Brazilian construction company Braengel, from Curitiba, in the Brazilian state of Paraná, one of the companies belonging to the Alicerce Business Solution holding, will be responsible for the design of a hospital complex and five star hotel.

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The grand plan behind the build is to offer aesthetic medicine services to women in the Middle East.

"They want to build a hospital turned to reconstruction, obesity and diabetes in Riyadh," said Marinho Uhlmann, president and CEO of Alicerce.

Construction of the Riyadh complex should begin in October this year. It is forecast work should be completed in two years.

Investment for the project will consist of some $500m, 60% of which will come from Saudi and Qatari businessmen.

The other 40% will come from “one Brazilian group in the health sector and a group in the building sector,” according to Uhlmann.

The works will cover an area of 76,000m² , to include a luxury spa, gym, shopping centre and several restaurants. Once completed, the complex is expected to employ around 7,500 people.

"The plan is to provide support for women in the health area to work at the hospital," added Uhlmann.

At the spa the entire work force will be formed of women.

Uhlmann said three luxury spa operators in Brazil are being considered to run the Arab enterprise.

"It will be the most luxurious spa in the Middle East," the Alicerce CEO said.

The hospital alone will have an area of 42,000m² and the hotel around 19,000m².

Braengel will be in charge of the architectural design of the complex and the Saudi Arabians in charge of construction.

There will be around five Brazilian medical teams replacing each other at the Riyadh hospital every three months.

There should be 15 surgeons, the majority women, operating with their teams and living in the hotel complex while in the Kingdom.

The hotel is also set to house spa clients and regular tourists.