Zeralda: Portuguese Group to construct a geriatric hospital

The Portuguese group ...Construtora Abrantina... won the contract to build a geriatric hospital with a capacity of 100 beds in Algiers for 20 million euros, said Tuesday the Algerian Ministry of Health.

•     This Portuguese group “will build a hospital specializing in medicine of elderly in Zeralda (suburb west of Algiers) within 18 months,” said Slim Belkessam, communication advisor at the Ministry of Health.
  
      “We have completed the building of a geriatrics hospital in Sétif (300km east of Algiers) and we intend to build three other hospitals of the same type by year 2011,” he added.
  
      These three hospitals, with a capacity of 120 beds each are planned in Sidi Bel Abbes (west), El Oued (extreme south-east) and Adrar (south), said Belkessam.
  
      Old people are being treated in hospitals and general hospitals (CHU), which do not have expertise in medicine of old people.
  
      The more than 65 of age in 2008 are about 7.5% of the total population of Algeria (35 million), said Belkessam.
  
      “The rate of aging of the population will increase in coming years. Life expectancy rose from 48 years in 1962 to 76 in 2008,” he added.
  
      Algeria plans investments of 20 billion euros between 2009 and 2025 to increase its health infrastructure, modernize its health system and alleviate the congested old hospitals where hygiene and hospitality are sometimes deplorable.
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.