Construction began on the new hospital for Cauquenes this Friday. Public Works Minister Jessica López, Healthcare Networks Undersecretary Fernando Araos, and the mayor of Cauquenes, Nery Rodríguez, were in attendance.
The construction of the new hospital in Cauquenes includes an investment of close to US$90 million. It is part of an initiative to build new establishments for the municipalities of Constitución and Parral, through the concession contract of the Maule hospital network.
“The hospital will be built according to the highest Health Ministry standards. It is a significant occasion, because it will mean tremendous changes to the quality of service and attention for residents, both in Cauquenes and its surrounding area. We are very happy about these works, which will be completed and ready for healthcare to be provided in 2025. We will be observing the progress of these three hospitals to meet the deadlines and provide a great service for the inhabitants of the region,” Jessica López, Public Works Minister.
Continue Reading for more details about the new hospital that will be built in Cauquenes.
This is what the new hospital for Cauquenes will be like
Some of the main characteristics of the new Cauquenes Hospital are:
- 42,000 square meters distributed over five levels.
- Capacity for 136 beds, four pavilions, six ICU beds, 25 cubicles for consultation by healthcare professionals with 12 dialysis chairs.
- State-of-the-art equipment for areas such as tomography, mammography, ultrasound and osteo-pulmonary.
“I want to emphasize that, in addition to the increased floorspace, these works will have new devices such as a dialysis unit, mental health units, comprehensive delivery rooms and hospitalization and medical consultation rooms, which hospitals should have. We are thus taking steps to modernize the Chilean healthcare system,” Fernando Araos, Healthcare Networks Undersecretary.
Levels of the new Cauquenes Hospital
The five levels of the new Cauquenes Hospital will be distributed as follows:
- Level 1: main entrance hall, mental health consultations, general healthcare, specialized consultations, dental consultations, dialysis, rehabilitation, procedures and cafeteria.
- Levels 2 and 3: hospitalization for children, adults and basic and medium care, obstetrics and gynaecology, as well as management, administration and finance, telephone exchange and waste management.
- Underground levels -1 and -2: emergency, delivery, pavilions, laboratories, auditorium, food hall, laundry, mortuary room, water treatment room, firefighting water tanks and parking.
Demand that the new hospital will meet
The Cauquenes hospital will meet the demand of the municipalities of Cauquenes, Chanco and Pelluhue. It is estimated that it will potentially benefit a population of 66,000, the vast majority from rural areas who have long travel times to other medical facilities.
“In 2010, our area suffered an earthquake that devastated the Cauquenes Hospital. Since then, we have been waiting for construction to start on a new hospital to provide quality and dignified care to our residents, not only from the municipality of Cauquenes, but also the municipalities of Chanco and Pelluhue, from the whole of our province. The truth is that I am very proud to be able to lay this first stone,” Nery Rodríguez, mayor of Cauquenes.
It is also estimated that construction of the new Cauquenes Hospital will generate 600 jobs at its peak.