Heraklion: Meeting in the Region of Crete for the new hospital of Rethymnon

A meeting to coordinate the next steps for the creation of the new hospital in Rethymnon was held today in the Region of Crete, under the regional governor Stavros Arnaoutakis, marking the acceleration of procedures for a project of critical importance for the region. The meeting was attended by Rethymnon MP Yannis Kefalogiannis, Rethymnon deputy regional governor Mary Lioni and Rethymnon hospital administrator George Papakonstantis.

The discussion focused on the promotion of the actions required for the construction of the new hospital, which is planned to be built on an area of about 90 acres in the area of Gallou, after its concession by the University of Crete.

Kefalogiannis spoke of “mature conditions” that allow the project to move forward, noting that, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, procedures can now be initiated for the implementation of an important infrastructure for Rethymno. For her part, Ms Lioni referred to the growing need for a new hospital, stressing that the existing one is not sufficient to meet the needs of the approximately 85,000 residents, 10,000 students and the thousands of visitors the region receives during the tourist season. The Region of Crete intends to contribute financially to the necessary studies. The hospital administrator, Mr Papaconstantis, noted that there is a common will to start the procedures, while expressing his thanks to the stakeholders for supporting the project.

For his part, regional governor Stavros Arnaoutakis described the new hospital as a “visionary project” for Rethymno and Crete as a whole, stressing the importance of cooperation between all parties involved. At the same time, he stressed the need for the immediate promotion of the preliminary studies and costing, in order to be able to claim funding from the central administration and European resources. He noted, finally, that despite the difficulties of the initial stages, cooperation with MPs, ministers, municipalities and the regional council guarantees the best possible outcome of the effort.