H.H. the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, opened the New Jahra Medical City project in Al Jahra Governorate – Al Qasr Region. The project is part of Kuwait’s plans to improve national healthcare and raise the capacity of hospitals by 60%.
The $1.18bn project was delivered by the Amiri Diwan of the State of Kuwait and architecture, engineering and planning consultancy, Pace.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the main hospital building and was attended by His Highness the Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, & His Excellency Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, as well as ministers, leaders and decision makers.
“In 2013, following the supreme desire of H.H. the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, to meet the increased patient demands in the state, Jahra Medical City project was initiated. The project was developed by Amiri Diwan, in collaboration with Pace – one of the leading multidisciplinary consultants in the region, commencing construction in March 2015 and fast-tracked to completion in a staggering three years,” explained His Excellency the President of Financial and Administrative affairs in the Amiri Diwan, Abdul Aziz Saud Ishaq.
The hospital offers all secondary care clinical specialties, in addition to tertiary care clinical services, complimented by clinical and non-clinical support. The complex features a helipad on the roof of the diagnostic and treatment block, above the emergency department’s trauma section. The facility also includes outpatient clinics, renal dialysis and outpatient radiology centres.
“The layout of the new internationally standardised medical complex comprises of eight separate buildings, most prominent is the main hospital building, which has a total built-up area of 440,000 m2, and rises to 15 stories. The architectural design process started with a concept based on the introduction of nature to the internal environment. The purpose of this is to create harmony within the facilities, as a means of contributing to the treatment and healing of patients. Green areas and interior spaces play an active part in strengthening this direction of design, creating an atmosphere full of life in numerous spaces,” added Pace CEO, Tarek Hamed Shuaib.
The project includes a 1,234 bed hospital, a dental facility with 115 treatment rooms and a regional health administration building. It also boasts a dedicated women’s centre, trauma centre, 32 operating suites including two hybrid operating rooms, a hybrid CT operating suite and a hybrid MRI operating suite. The outpatient facilities includes 22 departments with 135 clinics with state of the art equipment including a 10 seat hyperbaric chamber. Other service buildings include a public car park and staff car park, both accommodating 5,000 cars and two emergency shelters, each for 300 people.
Speaking about Pace’s approach to the project, Shuaib stated, “The art and design of the facades reflect the innovative and climate design expertise of Pace of using sunlight breakers as shading to control Kuwait’s direct harsh sunlight. Pace’s approach will manage and balance the exact amount of natural light required inside the building. This will create clear vision to pathways and internal movement circulation to provide a healthy internal atmosphere, especially when accommodating a large number of visitors in a hospital of this size. An additional design enhancement will be the spectacular views overlooking the neighbouring farms from the patient room windows, in all four towers, while maintaining necessary levels of privacy and tranquility required for patient recovery.”