An environmental impact study has been presented in Panama to design and build a hospital in Puerto Armuelles, Chiriquí province.
Data from the Interactive System “Construction in Central America”, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, indicates that in April the Social Security Fund submitted an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) to the Ministry of the Environment.
According to the EIS, the project consists of carrying out the technical studies, design, construction and equipping of the new hospital in Barú, Chiriquí province. The document details that the new infrastructure will be built on the footprint of the old facilities, and in three stages.
In the first phase, an 1,900 square meter industrial building will be constructed along with an outbuilding and administration building, measuring 5 thousand square meters, and buildings for dormitories for medical specialists, interns, dentists and nurses.
The second phase will include construction of an operating room and hospital building, cafeteria building for the public and more than 2 thousand square meters for parking.
The third phase will include building the emergency building, wound clinic, mortuary and clinical laboratory building.
The estimated investment is $70 million.
What is the justification for building a $70 million dollar hospital in a community with 20,000+ people?
I just don’t understand the rationale of the country planners who make these decisions.