SJFMEI picks design, engineering consultant for major healthcare, medical education project

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(File Photo: Jordan News)
AMMAN — The Saudi Jordanian Fund for Medical and Educational Investments Company (SJFMEI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund (SJIF), has hired a consortium led by Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners) – Dar – and Perkins & Will International to provide design consultancy and engineering supervision for a major prospective healthcare and medical education project in Jordan, according to Jordan News Agency, Petra.        اضافة اعلان

Deputizing for Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, Minister of Investment Kholoud Saqqaf attended the signing ceremony, which was also attended by Minister of Health Firas Al Hawari, the Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi, Director of the Jordan Investment Fund Zaher Qatarneh, and members of the board of directors and the executive management of SJFMEI.

The contract was signed by Fadi Al Said, Chairman of SJFMEI, and by Abeer Tarawneh, the Director of Operations at Dar, on behalf of Dar and Perkins & Will International.

The major healthcare project is proceeding as planned, according to SJFMEI Chairman Fadi Al Said, who also noted that Dar Al-Handasah and Perkins & Will JV was chosen because of its well-known expertise in the healthcare industry.

Mahmoud Sarhan, CEO of SJFMEI, stated, "Signing this contract with one of the most prominent international groups in the fields of engineering design and supervision represents a major step towards the execution of the Healthcare Project, which aims to contribute to enhancing healthcare services and medical education in Jordan and the region, as well as strengthening Jordan's position in these sectors on regional, global, and international levels."

"We are very proud and honored to have been selected by The Saudi Jordanian Fund for Medical and Educational Investments to support the delivery of one of Jordan's and the region's largest and most impactful healthcare projects," Tarawneh said.

She added: "We are excited to collaborate with our sister company, Perkins & Will International, one of the world's leading healthcare design firms, to provide the engineering design and supervision services required to deliver a hospital and university capable of providing world-class quality of care and serving as a new regional hub for medical research and education."

The built-up area of the project is estimated to be 110,000 square meters, with a land area of approximately 187 dunums. It will be strategically located on the airport road near Ghamadan, allowing patients from all over Jordan to access it.

The Jordanian government and SJIF signed the investment and development agreement for the USD 400 million project on June 6. The project will be implemented using the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, with the Jordanian government acquiring ownership of the project at the conclusion of the investment period.

The healthcare project will include a 330-bed university hospital, 72 outpatient clinics, an ambulatory care building, and a children's hospital, as well as a medical school with a total capacity of 600 students and an annual student intake of 100. The project is expected to generate over 5,000 permanent job opportunities.

It will be implemented in collaboration with two of the world's most prestigious healthcare and medical education institutions: the University College London (UCL) Medical School as the academic partner and UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California as the clinical partner.

The project will also include five medical centers of excellence focused on providing expertise around the most prevalent and fastest-growing non-communicable diseases in Jordan and the region, including cardiology, oncology, neurology, gastroenterology, and orthopedics, as well as four scientific research centers in the fields of genomics and precision medicine, stem cells and regenerative medicine, and health systems research.

Up to 7.5% of project revenues will be allocated to research and development in Jordan.

The goal of the project is to bring global knowledge and expertise to Jordan, help the country's health sector improve, support the accountable care model, deliver high-quality healthcare services, encourage medical tourism, and strengthen Jordan's position in this industry.

In addition to providing access to prestigious medical education, the project aims to develop the medical competencies necessary to graduate a new generation of doctors, researchers, and future medical leaders.

The Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund Company was formed as a joint venture between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

SJIF was established on April 27, 2016, as a result of the outcomes of the Saudi Jordanian Cooperation Council, and its scope of operations was expanded through a subsequent MoU signed on August 25, 2016, between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the Jordan Investment Fund.

Under Jordan Investment Fund Law No. (16) of 2016, the Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund was officially registered as a limited public shareholding company in March 2017.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund owns 95% of the company, with Jordanian banks owning the remaining 5%.

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