The Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital in Riga, Latvia is undergoing a huge expansion that allows it to treat more patients while reducing waiting times. A new building is being constructed as part of a major scheme which also provides state-of-the-art medical equipment. By 2023, more than 1.8 million people will receive improved health services thanks to this EU-supported project.
- 09 November 2020
Central to the works is the construction of a 37 726 m2 multifunctional building, known as the A2, which consolidates several surgical disciplines while combining the women’s and children’s health clinics. The building provides modern intensive care facilities, and treatment for neurological patients. In addition, the building is expected to improve the flow of emergency medical care. The A2 building connects to the recently opened A1 building, which also received EU funding for its construction. These two new structures provide a total area of 68 164 m2.
World-class technology
This project pays for specialised medical equipment such as a magnetic resonance imaging and a computed tomography scanner. In addition, a number of new IT systems are being provided, including a centralised patient observation system, and emergency patient flow and pathology laboratory information systems.
Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital is in a densely populated area of Riga. It provides both outpatient and inpatient health care services. The extra space of the A2 building, along with the new equipment, will enable the hospital to serve around 22 000 day patients and 46 000 longer-term patients every year. The new facilities are expected to reduce the duration of treatment by 10 % and waiting times for day patients by 37 %.
Meeting real needs
The project meets a genuine need at the hospital, whose older buildings are in poor condition and do not meet the requirements of a modern healthcare service. The hospital was founded in 1910 and most of the buildings are culturally significant, which means their reconstruction is not permitted.
The hospital’s new healthcare infrastructure ensures improved patient safety, more efficient use of financial and personnel resources and quality medical services within its priority areas of cardiovascular, oncological, perinatal and neonatal healthcare.
The project helps Pauls Stradins improve access to affordable healthcare, especially for a population at risk of social exclusion and poverty: 50 % of patients come from rural areas.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Development of the New A2 Building at Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital” is EUR 140 447 122, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 83 678 558 through the “Growth and Employment” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Social Inclusion”.