Work on a Dh4.3 billion hospital in Al Ain is set to start after the Abu Dhabi Government services arm Musanada awarded a contract to build the long-awaited New Al Ain Hospital to a consortium of Arabtec and Spain’s Constructora San Jose.
The 719-bed hospital is to replace the existing hospital in the Al Jimi area of Al Ain.
It is to include 26 beds for VIP patients and royal suites as well as a children’s ward, maternity, intensive care unit, medical rehabilitation and 484 beds for general medicine.
The 358,000 square metre hospital is to also include 104 advanced specialised clinics, 17 radiology rooms for X-ray, CT Scan and MRI services, as well as 22 specialised rooms for endoscopy procedures and diagnosis.
Its central morgue would serve the needs of the Eastern Region. It will also include a mosque and a 60-megawatt power station.
The development follows the Abu Dhabi Executive Council’s decision in September to approve the funding for the construction of the hospital, which is also designed to meet green building standards.
“The New Al Ain Hospital has been designed according to sustainability criteria that significantly reduce energy and water consumption, and which also make full use of energy from the sun’s rays,” said Saif Fadhel Al Hameli, executive director for health projects at Musanada.
Arabtec and Constructora San Jose are already working together on the Dh2.4 billion contract to build the 64,000 sq metre Louvre art museum on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat. The pair form part of the Absolouvre consortium along with Oger Abu Dhabi, which was awarded the work for the prestigious Jean Nouvel designed building in January.
Work on designs for the New Al Ain Hospital began in 2009 and construction is expected to be completed by 2015.
lbarnard@thenational.ae
