Kalinak: New Military Hospital in Presov to Join Both New and Current Complex

Bratislava, April 17 (TASR) - The new military hospital in Presov should consist of a newly built complex on the premises of a medical facility and the reconstructed existing buildings of J.A. Reiman Hospital, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) said before Wednesday's meeting of the government that is scheduled to deal with the project. "The new hospital will expand the capacities and capabilities of military health care within the NATO eastern flank, but it will also significantly improve the medical infrastructure and thus health care in eastern Slovakia," he highlighted the most important benefits of the project. The new hospital will fall under the Defence Ministry, which will finance the construction from its own budget, with the possible involvement of external EU funds. The minister estimated the investment at hundreds of millions of euros. "If today we receive confidence from the government, we'll very quickly put together a project team and start intensive communication with the hospital, but nothing will change in its operation," stressed Kalinak. As the construction of the new complex is to be carried out during the operation of the current hospital, he is aware of the complexity of the project. "It is a project six to seven times bigger than St. Michael's Hospital in Bratislava," stressed the defence minister, refusing to give specific construction deadlines. Kalinak estimated that the newly constructed section will expand capacity by 900 beds. am/mcs