The Local Health Unit (ULS) of Baixo Mondego plans to award the contract for the expansion of the emergency, outpatient, and surgical outpatient services of the Figueira da Foz District Hospital (HDFF) by the end of the year.
The contract, budgeted at €8.4 million, 85% of which is co-financed by the Portugal 2030 program, is one of the largest investments in the last 15 years in the HDFF, which serves the municipalities of Figueira da Foz, Montemor-o-Velho, and Soure.
“Without a doubt, this is an absolutely strategic project, which will make a huge difference to the hospital's installed capacity to date and after the construction of this new building,” Ana Raquel Santos, chair of the board of directors of ULS do Baixo Mondego, explained to the Lusa news agency.
She pointed out that “both professionals and patients will clearly see the impact of this very significant work in strengthening the hospital's capacity for intervention and action.”
The project was presented today at the Figueira da Foz District Hospital and is awaiting authorization from the ministry to extend the costs in order to meet the conditions for opening the public tender, which should take place next summer, with the award expected by the end of this year.
The planned expansion consists of a new two-story building with a covered area of approximately 2,300 square meters, taking advantage of the existing courtyard next to the operating room and emergency department.
The project also creates areas with the aim of responding “in an increasingly efficient, humane, and qualitative manner” to the growing expectations of the population, with a view to optimizing resources and improving patient accessibility.
“We are going to free up the entire pediatric emergency room, which will now be used for adult emergencies, and we have managed to solve a serious structural problem, which was the lack of space, as the structure could not accommodate so many patients,” said Ana Raquel Santos.
The new pediatric emergency room, which will double the area, was designed to differentiate circuits and patients, responding to future incidents that may occur, “such as a future pandemic,” said the official.
With this intervention, the surgical outpatient area will also free up beds that are occupied by patients who need to remain in a hospital setting, allowing for increased patient turnover.
“We cannot accept corridors crowded with patients on stretchers, a situation that cannot be normalized,” emphasized the chair of the board of directors of the Baixo Mondego Local Health Unit.
Within two months, that entity also intends to move forward with the construction of the Convalescence Unit and Day Hospital on the grounds of the Figueira da Foz District Hospital, which has been awarded and represents an investment of €3.7 million, supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
Source: https://ofigueirense.com
Image source: https://centralpress.pt