The construction site of the Fier regional hospital has been opened with builders working round the clock through all three shifts to deliver on the Turkish government’s pledge to build the facility within three months. A total of 1200 workers are expected to be employed for construction of this major infrastructure project of particular importance to the country’s health system as it is expected to reduce the patient flow to the Mother Teresa University Hospital Centre in Tirana.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of Infrastructure Belinda Balluku, and the Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu, today visited Fier to closely inspect progress of work to construct the new hospital. “Construction work is already underway after a week-long preparatory work that included all due procedures and permits. In collaboration with the Municipality of Fier, we have completed the expropriation process for 12 families that owned the land site who showed their understanding. The process has been finalized successfully and the expropriation agency has conducted entire procedure, while for days now we are working with the Power Distribution Operator to provide electricity to the site and the Water Supply Entity to build the water supply network as soon as possible,” Infrastructure Minister said.
The new Fier regional hospital will be built on a 5000 square meters space with a floor area of over 3000 dquare meters. The project will also include other auxiliary premises and parking lots. “We have finalized the entire project design, the medical technical part of the hospital. We have closely worked with the Turkey’s Ministry of Health about all details in terms of medical equipment, devices, tools, apparatus and machines. The agreement will be adopted by the Council of Ministers. The deal also envisages all other details regarding hospital furniture and medical equipment. The care services due to be delivered at this hospital have been already determined by the experts from both countries, including the medical modalities under bilateral management, in order to involve the Turkish team due to be dispatched for the bilateral management. The hospital will include emergency health services, ORL, ophthalmology and surgical services, including a special surgery department and the infectious disease ward that will house a COVID-designated unit in order to strengthen the current treatment capacities for the coronavirus patients,” the Minister of Health said.
The workers hired to work in this reconstruction site will be accommodated in the adjacent villages, as the area where the construction is taking place lacks sufficient accommodation capacities while the construction work continues incessantly despite the unfavourable weather conditions. Infrastructure Minister Balluku noted that “the construction project on Fier regional hospital will employ a high number of workers and the area lacks proper accommodation capacities. However, workers have been also accommodated in Patos and other adjacent area, while local government has taken over to cover the transportation cost.”
On his part, the Premier urged officials of the Turkish company tasked with constructing this major infrastructure project to offer employment opportunities to the former owners of the land site. “I have a request that those families that are expropriated – and you should meet the gentleman I had a conversation few days ago and other gentlemen – be provided the opportunity to work here, in any job position based on their skills and their needs. I do not know what kind of skills they have, but I would like to contact them today and possibly give them the opportunity to work here. Whether they want it or not, this is another matter,” Rama said.
