Sneak peek at new emergency hospital,
Chief Reporter KEREM HASAN took an exclusive tour of the new 100-bed emergency hospital in Lefkoşa with Health Minister Ali Pilli prior to it’s inauguration in a fortnight
THE new fully equipped stateowned emergency hospital in Lefkoşa, that is estimated to have cost around 150 million TL to build, will be opened on November 15, the 37th anniversary of the establishment of the TRNC.
CyprusToday was this week given an exclusive tour of the Turkish-funded hospital, which is located next to the car park of Lefkoşa State Hospital, by Health Minister Ali Pilli, who has spearheaded the project since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
He had initially proposed a smaller “pandemic hospital” to the Council of Ministers, but the idea evolved into a much larger “emergency hospital” with a closed area of 11,500m2, which Dr Pilli proudly
says will “really expand the health infrastructure capabilities of North Cyprus”.
“Having been a doctor since 1988, it has always been my desire to strengthen the health infrastructure of the TRNC as part of my ‘2020 Health Year’ vision,” he said during the tour.
“The construction of this hospital was my dream. It has a bed capacity of [over] 100 that can be raised to 200 in absolute emergencies. The hospital, which is made of steel, will have all the latest 2020 technology and an air-conditioning filtration system that prevents the spread of the [corona]virus.
“It will have 64 single rooms, 24 intensive care beds, six operating
theatres and a 24-bed emergency room that can also become an intensive care unit if necessary.”
“The emergency hospital will have everything: tomography, MRI, endoscopy, angiography, dialysis units.
MOTHERLAND
“Motherland Turkey has also donated five ambulances and even the curtains, pillows and mattresses have all arrived from Turkey and will be fitted after the completion of clean-up work and the installation of medical equipment.
“Eight lorry-loads of material have arrived from Turkey that include all the medical equipment, which is in the process of being set up.”
Asked to comment on what makes this hospital different from the Lefkoşa State hospital, Dr Pilli said: “This hospital will strengthen our health infrastructure. It will increase our bed capacity. We are adding another MRI scanner and tomography machine.
“The number of intensive care beds will be increased. Add to this the endoscopy and X-ray machines . . . we will have one more of everything that is in the state hospital and more. It had been intended to be used for Covid-19 however we later decided to make it an emergency hospital that will cater for everything as required by patients from a hospital.”