The project envisions the growth of the hospital's service portfolio with the addition of specialities that do not already exist in the health unit, such as gastroenterology, rheumatology, and dermatology, according to José Carlos Queimado, president of ULSBA.
According to José Carlos Queimado, it is the first time that studies were carried out simultaneously for the requalification and expansion of the hospital, recalling that the existing ones were out of date. As he stated, “Now, there is a project with sufficient maturity and well-founded to be the subject of political decision”.
As stated by the president, the renovation of the Alentejo hospital unit involves an investment of “around 96 million euros plus VAT [Value Added Tax], that is, a total of 118 million euros”. As he further explained, “The hospital will not reduce its capacity. On the contrary, it will have slightly more beds than it currently has [from 216 to 229], eight operating rooms, when it currently has five, and more outpatient and day hospital offices”. The president of ULSBA added that the specialities of nephrology, oncology, or angiology, and vascular surgery might begin to operate in Beja in addition to reference hospitals.
Arguing that the hospital unit “complies with practically none” of the technical guidelines of the Ministry of Health, José Queimado admitted that the Beja hospital has “inpatient units with 40 beds and two sanitary facilities”. Therefore, he claims there is “the need to build another building on the hospital campus, which will have around 171 beds, all rooms with bathroom facilities and a new general emergency service for adults”.