The new central building of the Semmelweis University Hospital in Budapest has reached structural completion, marked with a topping out ceremony on 11 March attended by Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog.
The 20,000 square metre, eight-storey building with a helicopter landing pad was built at a cost of 13 billion forints (EUR 41 million), jointly financed by the Hungarian budget and EU funds. Mr. Balog said that the new building, which houses both diagnostics and patient care units, will offer better conditions for patient care, higher education and research, as well as taking another step towards encouraging outpatient versus inpatient care.
The Minister said that all those who talk about the crisis of Hungarian healthcare should receive a proper response with 400 projects underway at a total cost of 300 billion forints (EUR 959 million). Minister of State for Healthcare Miklós Szócska said at the ceremony that the new building with state-of-the-art diagnostics and general conditions is a huge step forward for the university.
Rector of Semmelweis University Ágoston Szél said this will be one of the country’s most modern hospitals. He added that diagnostics and treatment will be better integrated, allowing for faster and more efficient healing. He said that the building should be functional by the end of the year or in early 2015.
Deputy State Secretary for Development Projects Nándor Csepreghy said the results showed that the Government had made the right choice when it decided that development projects within the 2014-2020 EU budgetary period should not require tendering, pointing that the foundation stone of the building was laid only a year ago.
When it begins operating, the building will be equipped with diagnostics equipment worth two billion forints (EUR 6.4 million).
(Ministry of Human Resources)
