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Bahrain PM Lays Foundation Stone of Mohammed Bin Khalifa Specialized Cardiac Center

 

AED562 Million Project Funded by UAE Government Grant

ADFD’s Active Role in Supporting Development Process Hailed

 

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 10 June 2015 - Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) today participated in the ground-breaking ceremony of the new Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Cardiac Center in the Awali area of Bahrain. The ceremony was hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain. .

His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, laid the foundation stone, in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council of Health, Abdul Redha Abdullah Khouri, the UAE ambassador to Bahrain, and His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, as well as a number of senior officials in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Thanking the UAE, its leadership and people for their supportive role in assisting Bharain in its development process, His Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, said: “This project doesn’t come as surprise to the people of Bahrain as both the UAE and Bahrain have long enjoyed strong relations of love and amity that are further cemented by the efforts of our leaderships, in meeting the aspirations of the two brotherly peoples.”

Al Khalifa also praised the vital role of ADFD in aiding growth in Bahrain through its continued funding and investment in development and civic projects. He noted that this initiative is as an example of ADFD’s contribution to the sustainable development of emerging nations and their continued progress and prosperity.

Applauding the progress and achievements made by the UAE in various fields, Al Khalifa hailed the outstanding bilateral relations between Bahrain and the UAE across political, economic and social domains, wishing the UAE more progress and prosperity under its wise leadership.

He added: "Ensuring the provision of improved health and social care for patients, and enhancing the overall community health and well-being are key priorities for Bahrain’s Government in its continued efforts to develop quality healthcare projects and offer best-in-class healthcare services in the country. This goal is achieved through setting up new specialized medical facilities that deliver advanced healthcare for patients on par with the latest international standards."

Al Khalifa also thanked all those involved in the development of the new Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Cardiac Center including doctors, consultants, project managers, and technicians for their diligent efforts towards the realization of the project.The AED562 Million (US $153 Million) project is funded by a grant offered by the UAE to Bahrain in 2013 as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) development program for Bahrain.

Managed by ADFD on behalf of the UAE Government, the project will meet the growing demand for specialized cardiology services in the Kingdom of Bahrain through setting up an integrated facility fitted-out with the latest equipment and medical devices for the treatment of cardiac diseases and conducting heart surgeries.

His Excellency Lt. General Dr. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council of Health in Bahrain, said: “The Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Cardiac Center will serve as a major milestone in offering quality diagnosis and treatment for heart patients in Bahrain. The project will address the capacity challenges at the current cardiac facility, which receives a large number of patients from within and outside Bahrain. The new center will help us to offer best-in-class treatment on a GCC-wide level."

He revealed that the new facility will include an outpatient clinic, radiology department, as well as scanning, pharmacy, physiotherapy, sterilization, emergency, and administration departments on the ground floor. The second floor will comprise operation theaters, ICU and laboratory, whereas the floors four to seven will have dedicated wards for men, women and children, with the possibility for future expansion across various departments.

“The Government of Bahrain, since the beginning of last century, has placed great emphasis on the provision of advanced healthcare services to its citizens, which is clearly evident from Bahrain’s high rank across various health indicators compared to many other countries in the world,” Al Khalifa added.

His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), said: “The UAE and the Bahrain enjoy strong bonds as a result of our continuous engagement and collaboration to achieve inclusive development across various sectors”.

He added: “ADFD’s engagement in the development of Bahrain dates back to 1974, when the Fund contributed to the financing and management of 25 development projects that support infrastructure”.

"The establishment of this integrated cardiac facility articulates the UAE government’s keenness to support sustainable development in Bahrain through delivering best-in-class health care services towards achieving social and economic prosperity for the Bahraini people,” Al Suwaidi added.

Taking shape across an area of 44,000 square meters, the new facility is due to open in the first half of 2018. It will comprise an outpatient clinic, radiology department, scanning, pharmacy, physiotherapy, and sterilization, emergency and operation theaters, as well as ICU, laboratory and dedicated wards for men, women and children.

Upon completion, the center will feature 148 beds, boosting the capacity of the existing 68-bed cardiac unit. The cardiac center as well as King Hamad Cancer Hospital will increase the number of beds from 22 beds to 24 beds for every 10,000 person.

ADFD manages the grant provided by the UAE Government to Bahrain to the tune of AED9.19 billion (US$2.5 billion) for 10 years as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) development program for Bahrain. In 2013, ADFD managed development projects in Bahrain across the key economic sectors including housing, water, health, and transportation.

About ADFD

Established in 1971, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) is an independent national entity affiliated with the Abu Dhabi Government. To help developing countries achieve sustainable development, the Fund offers concessionary loans, manages government grant through the direct supervision of such aid in project implementation and makes long-term investments and direct contributions. Since its inception, ADFD has overseen the provision and management of AED64 billion towards financing 438 development projects in 76 countries around the world.