Renovated and reconstructed maternity ward in Petrova opened – investment worth 34 million euro

As part of the healthcare infrastructure reconstruction following the 2020 Zagreb earthquake, the Clinic underwent comprehensive reconstruction. The comprehensive structural reconstruction and energy efficiency renovation of the Petrova hospital started in January 2023.

State Secretary Magaš emphasised that the Republic of Croatia has opted for structural and comprehensive reconstruction of the building, which requires more time and money, but the hospital is now essentially new. “From the EU Solidarity Fund, 1,309 projects worth 3.8 billion euro have been contracted - so far, 1,132 of them have been completed,” State Secretary said.

She also recalled that the reconstruction whose financing started from the EU Solidarity Fund encompasses 74 healthcare facilities as well. “The reconstruction is particularly prominent in the healthcare sector, and no object or hospital in Zagreb will be forgotten; on the contrary, all these projects are in progress, and the investment is worth approximately 800 million euro,” she added.

Head of Clinic Slavko Orešković said that the Clinic comprises 37 beds for women and another 37 for children. “In the intensive care unit there are incubators, ventilators, high-quality equipment necessary for providing adequate care to children of low or very low birth weight - and as you have seen, there is a child there of 600 g,” he said.

Orešković pointed out that the hospital in Petrova, thanks to excellent nurses and doctors, is one of the best not only in Croatia, but beyond. “All indicators place us at the very top on a global scale,” he said.

“Perinatal mortality rate in Croatia is around five per thousand, which is better than in much richer and more developed EU countries and the world,” Orešković pointed out.

He also warned that Croatia’s demographic situation has collapsed.

“When I was a young specialist, approximately 55,000 children were born, while the mortality was around 52,000. Now there are approximately 32,000 children born. This means that every year a city of 17,000 people disappears. According to this rate, if the trend remains, in fifty years there will be a million residents in Croatia,” he said.

He expressed hope that facilities like this one will help stop the negative trend and the situation will take a turn for the better. He said there are enough doctors, but that there is a shortage of around 30 nurses.

Director of KBC Zagreb Fran Borovečki stated that 34 million euro was invested in the reconstruction of the Petrova hospital - 14.4 million from the EU Solidarity Fund and 19.6 from the National Resilience Plan. He said that seven million euro has been invested in equipment over the past two years.

“What remains is completing the reconstruction of the main building of KBC Zagreb. Phase two is essentially over, phase three remains, which entails a smaller portion of around 8,000 square metres. Jordanovac is essentially over, I believe it will be fully completed in December,” he said.

State Secretary in the Ministry of Health Tomislav Dulibić said that a total of 2.5 billion euro has been invested in healthcare infrastructure in this Government’s term and that all hospitals in Zagreb should be reconstructed by the end of next year.
 
Source: HINA/MPGI