Fujairah Hospital to get ‘much-needed extension’

The Dh 9million extension will add 12 beds to the accident and emergency departments and a number of specialist units to the physiotherapy department.

Urgently needed work on a Dh9 million extension to Fujairah Hospital has started. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

FUJAIRAH // Work to expand Fujairah Hospital’s accident and emergency and physiotherapy departments is under way and should be completed by the end of the year.

The Dh 9million extension will add 12 beds to A&E and a number of specialist units to the physiotherapy department, said Obaid Al Kadeem, the hospital’s director, adding that more than 5,800 patients visited the emergency department last year.

“Patients satisfaction is one of our main goals. We achieved 82.2 per cent in the satisfaction survey last year and we are planning to increase that number by reconstructing the main entrances of the hospital, outpatient waiting areas, corridors, infrastructure and adding more beds.”

Last year, the hospital, which employs 700 staff, established a specialist unit to treat thalassemia patients, dialysis and cardiac diseases, and hired a doctor specialised in treating obese patients. The Australian has carried out 18 surgeries in the past three months.

Emirati Badrea Issa, a regular visitor to the hospital, welcomed the renovation and expansion, which she said was much needed.

“I visit the hospital each month to have my regular check-ups for blood pressure and sugar levels in order to have the medicine prescription. The nurses and doctors are very helpful and friendly while the process is always smooth,” she said.

“After they began the construction work they changed some clinics’ locations so on my first visit I got lost.

“But I believe that the hospital needs such remodelling, especially the restrooms. It’s an old hospital but a very good one,” said Ms Issa, 48.

Abu Ahmad, a 41-year-old Emirati who suffers from kidney failure and visits the dialysis unit three times a week, said: “Before they opened this new centre I used to go to the old unit, which was very small and always crowded, but now everything is more organised and fast it’s like a second home to me.”

The hospital was also planning to add a diabetes unit in the near future.