Almost five years late and millions over budget

THE HANDOVER of the new Nicosia general hospital will finally begin today.
Although the formal handover had initially been scheduled for yesterday, it was postponed as electromechanical checks were still being carried out.

From early yesterday morning, the hospital’s architect, contractor, electricians and mechanics were checking all electromechanical installations and equipment. The checks also included the fire systems, ventilation, floors, generators and false ceilings.

Health Minister Dina Akkelidou also signed an agreement with the contractor over the necessary final works to be carried out over the coming months. This agreement is expected to cost the state a further £250,000.

The handover is expected to take about a month and the hospital should be fully operational some time next autumn, the Health Ministry said. The building is being handed over without medical equipment, as this has not yet arrived on the island.

The final total cost of the building is estimated to be around £63 million; the hospital will cover an area of 100,000 square metres. The equipment is expected to cost an additional £20 million. Other expenses could push the total final cost up to £100 million.

The new hospital should have been completed two and a half years ago after building first started in 1997. Initially, the construction cost had been estimated at £38 million and to cover 60,000 square metres. A four-member government committee is meeting on October 25 to examine whether continuous delays in handing over the hospital were justified.