The Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo, stated today that the construction of the new hospital in Barcelos “is a commitment” from the Government and will mean an investment of 200 million euros.
Speaking at the opening of the World Mental Health Congress, taking place in Barcelos, Ana Povo was responding to the local mayor, Mário Constantino, who said he trusted the Government’s continued support to implement the new hospital.
“Here I assert that [a construção do novo hospital] it is a commitment from this Government”, said Ana Povo, pointing out that the investment will be 200 million euros.
Mário Constantino highlighted that this year the process “has already taken important steps”.
In June, a public tender for the preparation of the study and implementation project for the new hospital had been launched, but in the meantime the procedure was canceled because a previous contract, signed in 2010 and which had been suspended, was “revisited”.
This way, and according to the Barcelos/Esposende Local Health Unit, it will be possible to speed up the project and reduce additional costs.
The new hospital will serve more than 150 thousand people in the municipalities of Barcelos and Esposende, district of Braga.
It will replace the current Misericórdia building, which has structural limitations, from the overcrowded Emergency Room to the scarcity of operating rooms, the lack of decent conditions for consultations and hospitalizations and the precariousness of the oncology, orthopedics and pediatrics areas.
The work is expected to start between 2026 and 2027, with an execution period of between three and four years.
It will be a local hospital, with a “clear focus” on the outpatient clinic.
The number of inpatient beds will increase from the current 117 to 218.
The operating room will increase from two to six rooms, with the possibility of growing to eight.
The new hospital will also have three X-ray, three ultrasound, two CT and one magnetic resonance imaging equipment.
An intermediate care unit, an area dedicated to mental health, a day hospital and new specialties, such as gastroenterology and child and adolescent psychiatry, are other new features of the new hospital.
The hospital will be built on land measuring more than 155 thousand square meters, which the Barcelos City Council purchased for four million euros.
The Government has already registered the hospital in the multi-annual Health investment plan, with a global budget of 163.3 million euros.