The BDF has stepped up work on the King Hamad Hospital after it was put in charge of the project by a Royal Order, Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa has said.

He was speaking to a delegation representing the 'King Hamad University Hospital Friends' Group', which visited to the health facility in Busaiteen.

There are many shortcomings concerning, mainly engineering designs, power cables and internal telecommunications network, the minister said.

According to preliminary studies, the hospital entrance's floor is inappropriate and roofs are not waterproof.

The minister pointed out other defects, particularly the lack of sufficient waiting rooms for patients.

He blamed the consultant company for the delay.

'The firm which undertook the work does not have enough expertise in hospital engineering designs and construction,' he said.

The company neither consulted hospital engineering experts nor took the 'requirements of Bahraini society' into consideration, when designing the project.

'There were many other problems between the contractor and the Works Ministry delaying the project,' he said.

Efforts are now being made to settle the problems and speed up work.

The hospital will be officially opened in next December, as part of festivities marking the 12th anniversary of His Majesty's Accession and the 40th National Day.

It will be operated on an experimental basis in September, with an estimated annual budget of BD41 million ($108.7 million).

Hospital Commander Brigadier Dr Shaikh Salman bin Ateyatala Al Khalifa gave a presentation detailing different sections and medical wards, including a transplant centre, said to be the first of its kind in Bahrain.

Hi-tech medical equipment worth BD3.2 million has already been purchased.-TradeArabia News Service