Bắc Kạn General Hospital, with the capacity of 500 beds, was officially put into operation yesterday, the provincial People’s Committee has said. — Photo Thùy Giang

BẮC KẠN – Bắc Kạn General Hospital, with the capacity of 500 beds, was officially put into operation yesterday, the provincial People’s Committee has said.

Phạm Duy Hùng, deputy chairman of the committee said that the hospital was built on an area of nearly 24 hectares on the position of the old hospital and had the ability to treat 800 patients. Of which, nearly 70,000 square metres were used for the construction of a high-tech centre, emergency departments, check-up and treatment departments, and inpatient departments.

The hospital completed its construction in May after six years of construction, with total investment capital of VNĐ982 billion (US$43.1 million). Of which, VNĐ245 billion ($10.7 million) was spent on medical equipment.

The hospital is a satellite hospital on cardiology and oncology for Hà Nội-based Heart Hospital and Cancer Hospital. The province has proposed to turn the hospital into a satellite hospital for Việt Nam-Germany Hospital and Bạch Mai Hospital.

Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến said the hospital has helped increase the average number of hospital beds from 25.9 to 31.5 per 10,000 people in the province. She affirmed that the ministry would allocate VNĐ10 billion ($439,300) to support the hospital to purchase modern equipment.

Previously, the old General Hospital was always overloaded with only 300 beds. – VNS