Construction of the new  $1-billion King Abdullah Medical City in Bahrain is expected to commence in June. Tenders have already been invited from interested contractors from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain for levelling the land on the country’s east coast for the complex.

The project is being funded with a grant from Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on land near Durrat Al Bahrain measuring one million sq m, which was donated by His Majesty King Hamad of Bahrain.

Phase One including a hospital complex is due for completion by the end of 2019 and it will be operated by Arabian Gulf University (AGU).

“Phase One will comprise the construction of three buildings including an eight-storey tower with the 288-bed hospital, a three-storey outpatient clinic and an adjacent building with clinical services including operating theatres, morgue, restaurants and an educational area,” AGU vice-president Dr Khaled Tabbara said. 

The service and teaching hospital will include the four main medical areas – internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology – with sub-specialties.

A total of 144 beds will be allocated for medical surgery, 36 for obstetrics and gynaecology, 24 for paediatrics, 12 for paediatrics day cases, 24 for a neonatal intensive care unit (ICU), 36 for surgical and medical ICU and 12 for labour and delivery rooms.  

Saud Consult of Saudi Arabia is working on the detailed designs and tenders for the Phase One construction are expected to be called for in March, to enable the facility to be operational by end of 2019.

“Phase Two will be an additional tower and a clinical facility, which aims at an increase in the patient intake to 500,” said Dr Tabbara.