Public Works Minister Miguel Vargas justified the construction of ten 50-bed “smart hospitals” by a Florida based company on grounds that it is easier to build new hospitals than to repair the old. The health care centers have a minimal cost of almost US$50 million. Vargas said the Ministry does not have the budget to repair the old centers so they have to find fresh sources of funds to supply the nation’s health needs. The government has contracted a loan with a Florida company to build the hospitals, which would be the company?s first project of this kind.
