Opening of the proposed Heart Hospital of the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has been delayed further. HMC’s managing director Dr Hanan Al Kuwari told the media on the sidelines of the Qatar Health 2010 conference on Friday that the hospital would open in April next year. HMC had earlier said that the facility, located next to the Rumailah hospital would be ready by the end of this year.
HMC sources said that a soft opening of the facility was planned for January next year, but it has now been postponed to April. The project has been delayed for more than three years, since it was originally scheduled to be completed by August 2007, according to information provided on the HMC website.
Surprisingly, updates about this project, like many other HMC projects are not available on the website. The two-storey hospital building spread over 25,500sqm area was handed over to the hospital management in February this year. The QR171m hospital will have an initial capacity of 116 beds and staff of 350 people.
“Work is progressing for a ‘soft opening’ of the outpatient department in the Autumn of 2010. The necessary equipment has been ordered, of which approximately 50 percent has been delivered,” says HMC’s 2009-2010 annual report.
Dr Hajar Ahmed Hajar Al Binali, who was instrumental in the hospital project, addressing a symposium of the Gulf Heart Association (GHA) in November last year had also said that the Heart Hospital would open this year.
Reasons behind the delay have not been specified by HMC officials. There have been repeated complaints about the HMC delaying patients’ appointments and delays in execution of projects are not likely to go well with the public, feel several citizens and residents.
The Heart Hospital will open in two phases, according to HMC’s annual report. The first phase will involve the opening of the Outpatient Department (OPD) and support services, while the second phase will include admission, catheter, operations and emergency services.
Al Kuwari further said that the HMC would provide medical support in all the stadiums to ease the pressure on the hospitals, when Qatar hosts the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
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