World Bank Finances 15 New Hospitals In Romania

Ovidiu Vrânceanu, Braşov

The Ministry of Health will continue the programme of building 15 new hospitals across the country, respectively 8 regional hospitals and 7 emergency hospitals, based on a financing agreement with the World Bank. The new regional hospitals will be built in Iasi, Dolj, Timis, Cluj, Constanta, Braila-Galati, Bacau and Bucharest. Brasov, Neamt, Arad, Prahova, Bistrita, Arges and Mures will each have a new emergency hospital.

The Government has agreed to find ways to constitute a hospital infrastructure fund, which could be used for building new facilities. "If the other hospital could not be built, at least this one should be put in place. I think the location will remain unchanged, because it was selected based on the studies made by the Bucharest Design Institute," Aristotel Cancescu, Chairman of the Brasov County Council told BURSA.

The land selected for the future hospital in the Brasov - Harman area was originally earmarked for a hospital financed by the Spanish group Ibadesa. However, the project was stopped in the initial phase. Later on, former Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu authorized the construction of a regional hospital following the advocacy of the Brasov County Council chairman. The construction site was officially inaugurated, the tender for awarding the construction contract was organized, but the project was stopped once more only to be resumed recently by the new management of the Health Ministry.

The Brasov Regional Emergency Hospital will be located on a 12-hectare plot and have an overall surface of 65,000 square meters. It will be able to accommodate 462 patients in several buildings of up to three floors, some also having two underground levels. According to the Health Ministry project, the investment stands at 420 million RON, including VAT. The maximum duration is set at 48 months.