New €130 million university hospital in UAE involves two Portuguese companies

The new Fujairah University Hospital in the United Arab Emirates, which represents an investment of over €130 million, has as investors the Portuguese companies IGHS and VHM.

The company Idealmed GHS (IGHS), headquartered in Coimbra, which is part of the International Group of Healthcare Services, “formalised last Tuesday the contract for corporate participation and management of a new private University Hospital in the Emirate of Fujairah, an investment that amounts to €130 million and with the direct involvement of the local government through Fudjairah Investment Establishment,” says the company in a statement sent to Lusa.

According to the statement, IGHS joins the company VHM – Coordination and Project Management, SA in the corporate structure, “responsible for the overall management of the development of this project and with whom the group materialised the entire development of one of the most iconic hospitals in the entire Middle East region, the ‘Oman International Hospital (OIH)’, whose investment amounts to €100 million, and in which the Coimbra company also assumes the condition of shareholder and general operator”.

For José Alexandre Cunha, chairman of IGHS, quoted in the statement, “this is another enormous contribution to the affirmation of the group in the international context and sharing it with VHM”.

“Our presence in Asia and the Middle East continues to cement itself in a remarkable way, highlighting the recognition of important local partners to the work we have been developing,” he adds.

About the partnership with VHM, the IGHS chairman says “it is a privilege to develop another great project together”.

For Vítor Gomes, CEO of VHM, quoted in the same note, “the trust attributed to VHM in this project by the corporate structure, with the global management of the project development, represents the affirmation of the company in the ambitious and demanding area of the global management of projects in the international market, complementing the activities of architecture and engineering consulting that allowed in the last years the international expansion of the company”.

“After the success obtained by the partnership between VHM and IGHS in the OIH developed in Oman, this new challenge will certainly become a reference for the Health sector in the United Arab Emirates and will allow the various companies and institutions involved a remarkable international visibility, also cementing the international recognition that has already been achieved by VHM and IGHS in the integrated development of Hospital projects,” predicts the responsible.

According to IGHS, the Fujairah University Hospital also has the involvement of Portuguese universities.

“Integrating a University School of Health Sciences, the bases are already being created for the contribution of Portuguese higher education institutions in the pedagogical and teaching definition of the courses to be taught as well as for the signing of student exchange protocols”.

Also according to the note, “the relationship between the leadership of the two Portuguese companies began in 2009, with VHM being responsible for project coordination and supervision of the Idealmed Hospital in Coimbra, now Hospital da Luz Coimbra”.