Work has been resumed on the completion of the Ciudad Sanitaria Luis Eduardo Aybar, the largest public hospital complex in the Dominican Republic. The project was begun in 2013 and would have been finished in 2017.
Speaking at the La Semanal press conference on the medical city, Housing Minister Carlos Bonilla said that the delays that have affected the equipment are because the contractor demanded payment to deliver the codes for the equipment. The government was demanding completion of the works as contracted. After several agreements fell through, the government has now replaced the contractor.
The Ministry of Housing and Construction (MIVED) is in charge of the project since the change of government in 2020. Dr. Jose Joaquin Puello, the hospital’s president, called for works to continue in an interview published in Listin Diario last week.
“We can’t set firm deadlines given the complexity of building a hospital of this caliber,” Minister Bonilla acknowledged, “but what we need to do now is start working.” And the works were resumed, as reported in Listin Diario.
The delay in completing the Ciudad Sanitaria Luis Eduardo Aybar has resulted in infrastructure deterioration and the obsolescence of some of the equipment that had already been installed. However, Dr. Puello expressed optimism about the recent decision to resume construction, highlighting the positive impact it will have on the Dominican Republic’s healthcare system. The government has invested RD$18 billion and has little to show for it.
Once completed, the Ciudad Sanitaria Luis Eduardo Aybar will house all medical specialties and is expected to serve 15,000 patients daily, a significant increase from the current 5,000. In response, Minister Carlos Bonilla placed the blame on the original contractor, Consorcio Consmara-Seminsa, for the delays.
Read more:
N Digital
Listin Diario
La Semanal — 34:50 minute
DR1 News
DR1 News
18 June 2024