Safwan hospital nears long-delayed opening after years of setbacks

BASRA — Residents of Safwan are waiting for the long-delayed opening of a 100-bed hospital, with officials saying the project has reached more than 90 percent completion and will open next month.

Talib Khalil al-Hasouna, Safwan’s subdistrict commissioner, told 964media the facility is “one of the vital health projects long awaited by the people of Safwan and neighboring areas due to its humanitarian and strategic importance, especially with the severe shortage of emergency services in southern Basra near the important border with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.”

The hospital, built on a 25-dunum site, is intended to serve Safwan as well as Khor al-Zubair, southern Zubair and areas near the shores of Umm Qasr.

The project was launched in 2013 with a Greek company but stalled in 2014 during the ISIS war. Work later resumed under local contractor Sama al-Basra in 2019, continuing through the pandemic and oil price downturn.

“Civil works are complete, about 60 percent of medical equipment has been delivered, and the rest is in Dubai awaiting shipment,” al-Hasouna said. “Some devices of European and American origin were delayed, but installation is now underway. An agreement has been reached to open the hospital in October.”

Resident engineer Sabah Sabri said the complex covers more than 60,000 square meters, with 22,000 square meters of building space. It includes a three-story residence for doctors with 40 rooms, and the main hospital with emergency and outpatient facilities, operating theaters, laboratories, and about 80 inpatient rooms. “The hospital has 100 beds plus 22 emergency beds. Completion stands at 92 to 95 percent,” Sabri said.

Hospital employee Hamid Kazem al-Darraji said Safwan’s 100,000 residents urgently need expanded health services. “A 100-bed hospital is logical and realistic,” he said. “It will also be essential for emergencies involving visitors from the Gulf or other Islamic countries, especially during the Arbaeen pilgrimage when tens of thousands arrive. Safwan suffers from poor health services, and we hope this hospital will raise the medical standard for citizens and visitors alike. It has been delayed for too long, but we expect it to be ready by early 2026 under Basra Health Directorate supervision.”