New theatres for hospital

Newsdesk THE Red Cross hospital in Palma is expecting to carry out a total of 5'000 operations in 2006, some six percent more than in 2005, thanks to the extension of its facilities with two new operating theatres. The President for the Balearic branch of the Red Cross, Miquel Alenya, was speaking at the inauguration of the new operating theatres, at which the Balearic Minister for Health and Consumer Affairs, Aina Castillo, was also present. Alenya said that the extension had cost 738'000 euros. Following this alteration the hospital now had two operating theatres for general surgery in addition to a new ophthalmology area. The Red Cross had also invested 269'707 euros in the modernisation of its equipment and the reinforcing of the building, the total cost of the work being more than a million euros. The President said that these investments were “a big undertaking and almost titanic” for the Red Cross. In addition, Alenya said that this extension will allow them to improve the quality of the services they offer to residents. For her part, Castillo recognised the effort that the Red Cross is making to contribute to the improvements in health care in the Balearics where, she said, the average time spent on the waiting list is 36 days, very much less than the national average which varies around 65 days.