The Office of Supervising Engineers for State Works (OISOE) will receive a RD$5.5 billion budget in 2017 for building and rebuilding hospitals across the country. This includes the Dario Contreras Trauma Center, which was rebuilt and inaugurated less than two years ago with a controversial investment of RD$1.7 billion. A further RD$106 million has now been assigned for yet another “reconstruction”. At the time, media reports pointed to overpricing in the construction and poor quality of the work delivered.
According to the National Budget, over RD$5 million will be used for supervision and inspection of the construction works. However, the hospital director, Dr. Jose Aponte said he had no idea about the additional budget.
The Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia Maternity Hospital has been undergoing a tortuous process of remodeling for three years and will only receive RD$16.9 million to finish the work. Reports are the government is allocating RD$260 million to build a hospital in Juan Bosch City and RD$2.5 billion for the Dr. Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital.
The Marcelino Velez Santana Hospital will receive RD$150 million for its expansion. A further RD$210.5 million has been assigned for works at the José María Cabral y Baez Hospital in Santiago and the Rosa Emilia Tavarez Cancer Institute gets RD$175 million.
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El Caribe
