$84m oncology centre planned in Bahrain
Manama, July 2, 2014
A huge BD32 million ($84.4 million) national oncology centre is to be built at King Hamad University Hospital, Muharraq in Bahrain.
Minister of State for Defence Affairs Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa has signed an agreement to build the medical facility with G P Zachariades, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.
The work on the centre is scheduled to start next month and end in February 2017 in a package costing BD31.8 million.
Once operational, the new centre will spare the pain of sending citizens abroad to undergo early detection tests and necessary treatment for cancer.
The landmark 120-bed centre will be built on an area covering 57,000 sq m.
Mazen Alumran Consulting Engineers has been selected to design the blueprints of the project in co-operation with Hassell, a leading international design practice with an acknowledged expertise in specialised oncological centres.
"The facility will include a 10-bed Bone Marrow Transplantation Centre, the first-of-its-kind in the Arabian Gulf region," said hospital Commander Major General Dr Shaikh Salman bin Ateyatala Al Khalifa, adding that it will also be equipped with latest technology for the treatment of cancerous tumors.
"Bone-marrow transplant operations will be conducted to cure patients suffering from sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia at the facility which will be linked with King Faisal Scientific Research Centre."
The centre will be supplied with latest radiotherapy equipment to kill malignant cells with a 2mm precision and without any side-effects on the other body parts.
Based on latest World Health Organisation statistics, Bahrain allocates five per cent of its gross domestic product to ensure premium health services which are better than neighbouring countries.
The minister paid tribute to His Majesty King Hamad for his directives to build a modern oncology centre which keeps abreast of cutting-edge medical technologies and ensures premium treatment for patients. - TradeArabia News Service
