The ongoing expansion works at St. Paul Hospital would upscale medical service and ease citizens’ economic burden incurred by traveling abroad seeking better medical care.
Engineer Asfaha Solomon Construction and Engineering Director at St Paul told The Ethiopian Herald that the Hospital, under its vision of being one of the best centers of excellence, is constructing four large buildings worth two billion Birr.
He said “When the project is completed and goes operational, not only the medical cases referred for cross boarder treatments would reduce but also those who face financial shortcomings for the service would have the chance to be taken care of at the hospital”.
There are sophisticated medical services available in several developed countries but they are not affordable by most Ethiopians. Therefore, the government has been exerting maximum effort to provide the service locally.
Most of all, non-communicable diseases are major issues of concern of the health sector and due attention is given to mainstream it and improve the service on these health issues.
As a result, “There are six cancer centers under construction in various States of the country. St. Paul’s cancer center is one of these national projects under implementation,” he noted.
The ongoing buildings of the Hospital are designed for mothers and children health care, cancer, cardiac, and a transplant and GI (gastrointestinal) centers, which comprise of 1,120 beds, added Asfaha.
“The St. Paul’s Cardiac center, which is currently the only existing one in Ethiopia, would have four surgery ORs and two kad labs including 250 beds,” he added.
The contractors are expected to complete and hand over the buildings in three phases based on the contract terms they signed with the Hospital. According to him, the constructions are going with a promising pace. “According to the contracts, they will be accomplished with in twenty months’ time from now,” said Asfaha.
The project is being implemented to meet the vision that the Hospital set to be one of the leading center of excellences throughout the country and even in Africa.