This is an increase of over LM 30 million from the Fixed Assets figure of year end 2002 which was LM84,128,476 indicating that the cost of the hospital is rising pretty steeply.
A review of the progress report with regards to engineering operations indicates that most of the structural work is complete. Blocks A, B and C (Link Block) are practically complete with internal finishing works and installation proceeding in all three areas. Block D, which is the Main Hospital, is also nearing completion with structural works almost completed except for the Accident and Emergency Building.
Block E (Outpatients) and Block F (Utility) are complete except for minor finishing works. Medical equipment has begun to be installed in the former whilst the Enemalta power transformer that will supply the whole hospital has already been installed although not yet commissioned. Car Parks, the Mortuary Block and road works are also well advanced.
The report also gives a brief description of the progress made in the institutional operations of the new hospital project. There is a brief paragraph on the medical equipment saga which was a long and tortuous process with many competing companies claiming favoritism on behalf of Inso SPA who were eventually awarded the multimillion liri project.
In fact, the Mater Dei medical equipment case is currently in court with a private investigator being charged of having falsified reports of alleged corruption in a very high profile hearing which took place last week (see page three).
The report admits that there had to be a re-direction of strategy with regards to medical equipment due to the “impact that the delay in appointing the medical equipment supplier had on the hospital project”. It also states that the foundation and Skanska (the contractors of the project) elaborated a “Medical Equipment Strategy” which identified which installation works could be completed by Skanska in absence of medical equipment, and which could be kept on hold.
Other activities related to medical equipment in 2003 included the review and agreement on medical equipment lists of all hospital departments with the relative clinical directors, the adjudication and re-issue of tenders for the Waste Decontamination Plant, the design of layout and magnetic protection plates of the MRI unit and the design and procurement of first fix assemblies for the outpatients block.
On the furniture front, consultations for the furnishing of 4,306 rooms in the hospital continued with St Luke’s Hospital staff and the tender process is in the final stages of completion. The report also states that the FMS (Foundation for Medical Services) decided not purchase furniture for Block A2 and E through the Skanska Design and Build Contract but it was eventually decided to purchase all the furniture through the 5th Italian Protocol. Procurement is still going on as this agreement was only signed at the end of December 2003.
The 5th Italian Protocol shall also be funding the Storage and Logistics Systems and the Information Systems projects. The latter is being implemented on the lines of a Request for Proposals document for the procurement of an Information System for the Maltese Public Healthcare System. This document was also reviewed by consultants from St James Hospital, Ireland.