150-bed obstetrics and gynaecology hospital to be set up in Fujairah

The growing demand for advanced gynaecology services has prompted the authorities to set up an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital at the cost of Dh150million.

The new hospital will have 150 beds and construction is expected to start early next year. The hospital will be funtional by 2005.

Last year, nearly 2,500 women availed of obstetrics and gynaecology services at the three hospitals in Fujairah.

At present, there are 63 rooms in the three hospitals of the emirate.

Ahmed Al Sharief, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health and Director of the Fujairah Medical District, said the new hospital will be close to Fujairah Hospital.

The ground floor of the hospital will house the administrative and public relations offices, a big hall for children, four rooms for doctors, four rooms for nursing staff and a library.

It will also have three operating theatres and three post-operative recovery rooms, five rooms for labourers, a room for critical cases, a unit for emergency cases and 26 beds for newborns and two beds for premature babies.

The upper floor will have 75 beds, in addition to some beds in private rooms and other medical sections related to maternity treatment.

There are 63 beds for pregnant women available at the emirate's three hospitals. Thirty beds at the Fujairah Hospital, 22 at Dibba Al Fujairah Hospital and only 11 at the Fujairah Obstetrics Hospital.

Fujairah's old obstetrics hospital received 374 pregnant women last year, compared to 465 women who were admitted during 2001.

The obstetrics clinic at the Fujairah hospital was visited by 1,967 female out-patients during 2002. There were 417 deliveries that year. A total of 492 women were admitted to Dibba Al Fujairah Hospital in 2002, and there were 140 births.

Some 1,074 babies were registered at Fujairah Hospital last year. A total of 692 babies were born at Dibba Al Fujairah Hospital, 340 at Fujairah's old obstetrics hospital, 47 at private clinics and three at homes. Twelve babies who were born outside the UAE were registered in Fujairah.

"With the new hospital, the emirate will have more than 213 beds which will be enough to offer pregnant women the best services," Al Sharief added.