Due to the increasing urban development and expansion projects in Jeddah, the city suffers from a severe shortage of hospitals and health centers at present, said Sami Ba Dawood, director general of health affairs in Jeddah.
“There is an urgent need for at least 20 hospitals and specialist health centers in all medical areas during the next 15 years to meet the increasing demand on the available hospitals in the city’s various neighborhoods,” he said.
Meanwhile, the residents of central and eastern Jeddah are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new hospital in east Jeddah by the end of this year. This hospital, many people reckon, is almost a miniature medical city in its own right that includes complete sets of services in diagnosis and treatment. It includes, among other things, a kidney center, a physical therapy center, an emergency section, and same-day surgery.
Many residents in the neighborhood told Arab News that they hope the completion of the project will be expedited so that it can be operational during the year.
“This project will serve a large section of the people of Jeddah. And it’s inclusive of many services making it a one-stop center for all the treatment and care you need,” they said.
The hospital contains sections for obstetrics and gynecology, dentistry, cardiology, internal medicine, pulmonary diseases, outpatient clinics, and oncology.
Ba Dawood said work is underway to complete the hospital on schedule. “We have completed 95 percent of the construction and decorative work. The hospital will contain 300 beds and 80 ICU beds. The cost stands at SR 265,211,207.83,” he said.
“There are new sections being added to the hospital, including a 60-bed dialysis unit, and an increased outpatient area. Four new towers have also been added. Everything in the hospital is built according to state-of-the-art technology, engineering designs, and medical equipment,” he said.
Jeddah will need many hospitals in 15 years
