Filenews 29 October 2021 - by Pambos Charalambous
Investments in the health sector, with hospitals of high standards, will raise the bar for our country.
The development of the health sector in Cyprus and the attraction of foreign investments, medical tourism, and the transformation of the country into a high-level regional healthcare hub is not an easy bet. However, the interest shown by foreign investors in the construction of new hospitals in our country seems to be a powerful step towards the achievement of the above goals. Forbes presents all the new private hospitals it is planning. they are to be done in the coming years.
New horizons in the health sector in Cyprus are opened by the large investments planned for the construction of state-of-the-art hospitals. It is estimated that they will primarily upgrade the country's health services, for the benefit of patients, and secondly, they will increase the shares of Cyprus in its effort to become an attractive international destination for the provision of distinguished medical services.
Flagship in the new chapter that Cyprus is opening in the health sector are the two new hospitals of Nicosia, Hadassah Hospital Cyprus in Lakatamia, which will be the largest private hospital in Cyprus and the Nicosia Hospital and Rehabilitation Center (NHRC) - Saint Loucas, in Engomi.
In general, six new hospitals are expected in the coming years, some large and other smaller ones, which are listed below.
HADASSAH HEALTH PARK: CHANGES THE FACTS
Hadassah Health Park in Lakatamia, which will be implemented in the area of the former Charalambides Dairy, is the project that will change the map of health in Cyprus, since, the pioneering project for the data of our country, will include Hadassah Hospital Cyprus, the largest private hospital in Cyprus, with full diagnostic and hospital equipment of the latest technology, The Hadassah Rehabilitation Center (Rehabilitation Center) and the Assisted Living Center (Independent Assisted Accommodation Center).
Specifically, Hadassah Hospital Cyprus will provide medical services in the whole spectrum of hospital care, even in specialized sectors, which have not been offered so far in Cyprus. It will be 23,000 square meters long and is expected to open its doors to the world in 2024. Hadassah Rehabilitation Center will offer modern treatment methods and rehabilitation protocols for postoperative patients, accident patients, chronic disease sufferers and patients fighting for substance rehabilitation. It is expected to be completed by 2025. As for the Assisted Living Center, it will be built in two phases. The first is expected to be available to the public in 2024 and the second in 2025.
The ambitious project will be implemented on the basis of an agreement of strategic importance, worth more than €150 million, of the Cypriot H.C. Management of Medical Center PLC (MMC) and the Israeli Hadassah Medical Ltd, a subsidiary of the internationally renowned Hadassah medical organization. From the total investment, more than 1,500 jobs will be created, which will be filled by Cypriots.
Alongside the main planning, the two parties of the cooperation are also designing a model, in terms of medical technology, medical and diagnostic centre in Limassol. For this purpose, a series of buildings have been evaluated, with the aim of operating in the coming months, under the name Hadassah Diagnostic Center.
ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION
The design of the medical facilities has been jointly commissioned by the distinguished architectural firms ADP Architecture from the United Kingdom and Spector Amisar Architects from Israel, as well as the local architectural firm ENA pros EKATO (CONSTANTI ARCHITECTS).
As a consultant in the project and with an active role in the design of both medical facilities and accommodation, the international construction giant Bouygues Batiment International is also involved. Despite the obstacles that have arisen due to the pandemic, the design of the buildings is at an advanced stage. The architectural plans and other related studies are being completed while the necessary applications for licensing are in progress. When the relevant approvals are received, the construction of the project is expected to begin.
NHRC IN PRAISE
Nicosia Hospital and Rehabilitation Center (NHRC)- Saint Loucas, in Engomi, which will have a total cost of €50 million, will be ready to provide its services in 2025. It will be erected west of the International State Fair (opposite the offices of the Cyprus Sports Organisation), on the archdiocese's land, by foreign investors. According to the environmental impact assessment study, which was submitted to the Department of Environment, the hospital, which will be built on a plot with a total area of 96,500 square meters, concerns a single hospital development with a rehabilitation centre and a variety of support uses and auxiliary spaces.
It will consist of a building volume with basement, ground floor, four floors and a roof garden. In addition, it will have a restaurant, cafeteria, kiosk and florist. The area of the part of the plot where the project will be located amounts to 19,844 sq. m. while the total area of the development will be 30,309.5 sq.m. Specifically, the hospital will have a total area of 10,453 sq. m. while the rehabilitation centre will have a total area of about 6,926 sq.m.
The development will have 83 patient rooms (54 for the hospital and 29 for the rehabilitation centre) and will consist of a 24-hour first aid and emergency department (not serious cases), Cardiology Department, Endoscopic Department, Administration Department, Gynaecological Department and maternity hospitals, Paediatric Department, Intensive Care Department, Sterilization Department, Radiology Department and Radiologists' Offices, Chemical Laboratory and Laboratory.
Among other things, the development will include patient wards (obstetricians, pathologists, surgical, paediatric and intensive care) with single, double and triple rooms, pharmacy, cafeteria and restaurant for the public, rehabilitation centre with clinics, physiotherapy centres, gym, changing rooms, swimming pool for hydrotherapy and rehabilitation, roof garden and basement and ground floor parking, with 500 spaces. Nicosia Hospital and Rehabilitation Center- Saint Loucas has been designed by the international architectural firm HKS, in collaboration with MDG Architects in Cyprus.
AND SECOND NEW HOSPITAL
The NHRC is not the only hospital that will make its appearance in Engomi in the coming years, as another huge hospital, with support services, will be erected on a plot of the Kykkos Monastery, on land of 37,464 sq.m. The plot, which will be granted for long-term use, is located at the junction of Griva Digenis and Agios Prokopios Avenues and has an area of about 335,000 sq.m. It starts from the Metochi of Kykkos (on Griva Digeni) and extends up to the ALPHAMEGA supermarket. On the other hand, it extends from the height of the Metohi (on Archangelos) up to the roundabout near the DIAS complex and covers the entire area to the right, where the outpatient clinics of Engomi are located.
The hospital is planned to be built in the area where the Kykkos nursery is currently located. Already a team of doctors has had contacts with the competent services and now, it is expected that a master plan will be submitted in which the developments that will be implemented (hotel, offices, shops, etc.) will be distributed. In this particular hospital, apart from some Cypriot doctors, foreigners will participate, with share capital. The aim is to attract patients from Israel or from other countries in the region. Regarding the procedure for the approval of the project, in the first phase it concerns the submission of a General Spatial Plan to the Urban Planning Authority for the entire development.
"HARMONY" IN LATSIA
The private clinic "Armonia" in Latsia will cost close to €1.2 million. It recently received the approval of the Environmental Authority and it is estimated that its construction works will take two years. The project will have an area of 628 sq.m. and will include three double inpatient rooms and an operating room (2nd floor). On the 1st floor, among others, there will be clinics, septic surgery and a patient examination and treatment area. On the ground floor there will be the reception area and 10 parking spaces while another 10 parking spaces will be available in the basement.
The clinic will have two access points on Dimitris Stavrou Street. It is noted that, north of the area where the clinic will be built, there is the "Timothy" elderly shelter. Opening hours will be typical for private hospitals.
CLINIC IN TSERI
A new day care clinic, with a view to completion in September 2022, will be built in Strovolos and specifically in Tseriou Avenue. It will include a 15-bed nursing unit with a surgical department, an endoscopy department and an artificial reproduction unit. The project of EIPS LTD has an estimated cost of € 3.6 million. The clinic in question will be located one kilometre from the private hospital American Heart.
€28 MILLION PROPERTY WITH HEALTH AS A KILLER
In addition to the above investments in the health sector, which have been put on the way of implementation, a new investment is being made, this time in Limassol. In particular, this is a large investment in the field of education and health which will be implemented within seven large plots, which are located in the area of Agia Fyla. The plots were recently sold by the Real Estate Management Division (REMU) of the Bank of Cyprus to the Israeli, with Cypriot citizenship, businessman Yakir Gabay, for the amount of €28.2 million. The property is located 250 meters east of the Limassol-Platres road and 350 meters southeast of the private school «The Heritage Private School». It has a total area of 732,767 sq. m. and includes six pieces, with a total area of 682,264 sq. m. and a plot of 50,503 sq. m. It is worth noting that Yakir Gabay in this year's Forbes list of the richest people in the world is placed at the position of 655, with a fortune estimated at $4.4 billion.
