The Advisory Council of the La Serena Hospital will meet this Monday in Santiago with the Minister of Public Works, Jéssica López, and later with representatives of the Acciona company. This, in the middle of key days in the negotiation that the authorities are carrying out with the concessionaire, and that seeks to unblock the conflict that keeps the work of the new hospital facility for the regional capital paralyzed.
Let us remember that the project has been stopped since mid-2023, when differences were detected between the dimensions of the premises with respect to its Pre-investment Study and those contemplated in the Medical-Architectural Plan with which the tender was carried out. This situation led the initiative to a “review” stage, which lasted more than six months.
Once this process was completed, in the month of September, the problem seemed to be resolved with the incorporation of 5 thousand square meters and it was reported that during the first months of 2024 work would begin. However, to date they are still suspended and the Government has indicated that a definitive deadline cannot be given, since negotiations are still ongoing with the concessionaire company to finance the difference in the size of the hospital.
The events have extended the wait for the long-awaited hospital, which in addition to being a regional reference facility, will have the infrastructure for specialized oncology care.
Over time, the project would be in key weeks for the authorities to provide certainty in this regard.
“WE ARE WAITING FOR A DEFINITIVE RESPONSE”
Beatriz Morros, president of the La Serena Advisory Council, told Diario El Día that in these meetings they hope to finally see “white smoke” in the coordination between the corresponding entities, to overcome the obstacles and be able to move forward with the construction of the hospital.
A first meeting will take place today at 3:00 p.m. in the offices of the Ministry of the Interior and the second – with the company – will take place in the afternoon, at 5:00 p.m. in the offices of the former National Congress.
“We hope they give us confirmation of whether this is ready. We understand that it is not a money problem, but that the justification (for the new investment) is missing, so we hope to have a definitive answer and a specific date for the start of the works,” he indicated.
Morros, who has also been working as a volunteer in the Ladies in Red for 16 years, explains the need to have the new facility as soon as possible.
“One has realized how the demand has grown and the need is imperative, because the officials put all the love in the world into their work, but the spaces do not provide. The new hospital is a huge need for the region, because we are going to be benchmarks for the macrozone, hand in hand with Coquimbo,” he noted.
There would be agreement
It should be noted that based on the latest efforts carried out by the Ministry of Public Works, it would have been possible to reach a proposal that would allow the problem to be unblocked.
Senator Sergio Gahona, who coordinated this Monday’s meetings at the request of the Advisory Council, indicated to our media that he hopes that this day “the Ministry of Public Works and the concessionaire will give us true information on the real state of the situation of the construction project.” of the new La Serena Hospital.”
On this matter, he added that “the information we have is that there is a complex agreement and due justification of a budget increase close to 690,000 UF and that the only thing left to do is for the Ministry of Finance, through the Budget Directorate, to grant its visa.”
“This being the case, we hope that the Government will finally give the green light to such a long-awaited and emblematic health project for the city of La Serena and the entire region,” he emphasized.
Along the same lines, Senator Matías Walker commented that “indeed, from what we have been informed, there is practically a virtual agreement between the Concessions Directorate of the Ministry of Public Works and Acciona. The approval of Dipres is missing.”
Regarding the meeting agreed for today, the parliamentarian indicated that “we hope that this meeting will be fruitful. It is very important to listen to the Medical College and the Advisory Council, with whom we met in La Serena last week, as well as with Oncomamás.”
Walker added that “the Government has to understand that we are not only talking about the La Serena Hospital, we are talking about a regional reference hospital, with specialties that are not in the rest of the communes and with patients who come from Atacama and other regions. . In addition, it will house the future cancer center.”
Along these lines, he declared that “we hope that the Government puts the resources where it has put the words, and that an agreement is finally reached and the Dipres gives the go-ahead, to unblock the construction of the new Hospital once and for all.” of La Serena.”
