“We would like to do this earlier, but by September we will have the public tender launched” the president of the Regional Health Administration (ARS), José Robalo, told Lusa after the Government’s decision to authorise expenditure to carry out the project, which should be completed by the end of 2023.

Health Minister Marta Temido explained that the approved resolution will “authorise the ARS of Alentejo to assume the expenditure of up to about 150 million Euros”.

“Only after having the set of documents and the decision of the Government can I see what are the most accurate timings to make this public tender.” José Robalo said, noting that there are “legal aspects that have to be met.”

According to the president of ARS of Alentejo, the new hospital unit should involve a total investment of 80 million Euros, of which 40 million will come from community funds. The new Alentejo Central Hospital will be operational by December 2023, the ARS said in a statement.

The project will be funded by Community funds from the Portugal 2020 programme, through support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The new hospital which will be built on the outskirts of Évora, will have a building that will occupy an area of 1.9 hectares and will have a capacity of 351 beds in single rooms which can be increased if necessary, up to 487 beds.

The future hospital unit will respond to the needs of the entire population of the Alentejo, with a first catchment area covering about 20,000 people and, secondly, more than 500,000 people. The infrastructure will have 11 operating theatres, three for conventional activities, six for outpatient activities and two for emergency activities, five preoperative posts and 43 recovery posts.