Kuwait to spend $160m on nine hospital annexes

CW Staff , June 16th, 2010

Kuwaiti health chiefs have announced plans to build nine towers to be annexed to hospitals, in a project costing $160m.

The towers will add about 2,000 beds to Kuwait's hospital bed capacity.

The towers will be annexed to the maternity hospital, Al-Sabah, Al-Razi, Al-Amiri, Ibn Sina, Al-Adan, Al-Jahra, and Al-Farwaneya hospitals, as well as Hussain Makki Juma Centre for Specialised Surgeries, Ministry Undersecretary for Services and Maintenance Sameer Al-Asfour told KUNA News Agency.

The new towers will increase the number of operating rooms to 70, and the number of beds in intensive care units to 90 beds, Al-Asfour said.

The project will also increase the number of outpatient clinics, and improve the services related to x-rays, laboratories, sterilisation units, and medical records.

They will also provide a centre for disasters and emergency and an isolation ward with a capacity of 90 beds.

Ministry of health representatives met with consultants on Tuesday to discuss details of the project.

Earlier this week, Qatari officials announced that Three new hospitals and two primary health centres to cater are being planned in Qatar to cater exclusively to the needs of labourers.

The facilities, which are expected to be completed in up to four years, aim to ease the pressure on existing hospitals, particularly the Hamad Hospital’s Emergency Department.

“These hospitals and health centres are being planned due to the increase in population and especially for the labourers and we hope once completed, they would help ease pressure on facilities such as Hamad General Hospital and other health centres,” Dr Jamal Khanji, Supreme Council of Health’s Medical Licensing Department acting director said.