Work on a major new hospital in Bahrain is now expected to finish in September, after a massive redesign had to be carried out due to flaws in the original plans.

The King Hamad University Hospital, in Muharraq, was supposed to be finished in 2008.

However, hospital chief executive officer Brigadier Dr Shaikh Salman bin Ateyatala Al Khalifa blamed delays on shoddy workmanship, bad design and alleged financial irregularities.

He said serious faults were discovered once the hospital had been handed over to the BDF Hospital from the Works Ministry, which meant a BD7 million ($18.5 million) overhaul was needed before it could become operational.

This included redesigning everything from toilets and washrooms to closets and electrical wiring.

"We then learnt that design consultants Australian Hospital Design Group had been formed only to execute the Bahrain project and had no experience in the field," he revealed in an exclusive interview.

Brig Dr Shaikh Salman said when the hospital was handed over the waiting areas were cramped, toilets were tiny and as many as 23 departments were deemed unfit for use by specialist doctors.

"This required major changes, including breaking down large portions within the building and rebuilding and redesigning the facilities," he added.

"The designers had no inkling of what the Bahrain scenario was and did not pay any heed to local sensibilities.

"They also failed to take into consideration that Bahrain had certain peculiar requirements which needed to be incorporated into the design. The toilets were unfit for severely obese people, while waiting rooms were inadequate to accommodate the large number of people who normally accompany patients to hospital."

He revealed the false ceilings leaked when it rained, the backup generator system did not switch on automatically in the event of a power failure and there was no large storage facility for medicines and equipment.

"Over and above that, the entire electrical wiring and electrical fittings were found to be faulty and the quality of workmanship was found wanting," he added.

As a result, BD7 million had to be spent on refitting the hospital with much of the work having to be redone from scratch.

Meanwhile, Brig Dr Shaikh Salman said the original furnishers had no idea how to equip hospitals and their contract was cancelled.

"There is now a legal issue with them, but that will not affect the hospital work," he added.

New contractors have since been appointed to furnish the facility at a lower cost.

"An earlier BD26 million contract to fully furnish the hospital has recently been scrapped and new contractors have been brought in to do the work," Brig Dr Shaikh Salman told the GDN.

"The new furnishing contract has been awarded at BD15m, which is a direct saving of BD11 million. Some of that money (up to BD7 million) is now being spent on the refurbishment and we may even have something left for other improvements."

The 311-bed hospital is now due for a soft opening in September, followed by an official launch in December that could coincide with Bahrain's National Day celebrations. – TradeArabia News Service