(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Madaba, Aug. 3 (Petra) -- Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Sunday laid the cornerstone for the new Madaba Public Hospital, marking the start of construction on Jordan's first government hospital to be implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP).
The project, which is expected to be completed in three years, follows up on government commitments made during Cabinet sessions held in the governorates and in line with field visits by the Prime Minister. During a March Cabinet meeting in Madaba, Hassan personally pledged to begin building a modern, fully equipped public hospital in the governorate.

With a total cost of JD 88 million, the project is the first public service initiative executed through the Jordan Investment Fund. The government signed an agreement last week with KBW Investments, which will build the hospital under a build-lease-transfer model, while the Ministry of Health will manage and operate it.
Speaking at the ceremony, attended by local MPs, senators, and officials, Hassan stressed the need to complete the project within the three-year timeline, so the hospital can begin operating in 2028. He also emphasized the importance of preparing supporting infrastructure, especially access roads and parking areas, to ensure easy access for citizens.
Two weeks ago, the Cabinet approved the Public Works Ministry's implementation of the hospital's main access road and tasked the Local Administration Ministry with constructing an alternative parallel route.
The hospital will be built on over 54,000 square meters, with 13 floors and 260 beds, expandable to 360. It will be managed by the Ministry of Health once completed and equipped. It will include 147 rooms, 8 main operating rooms, 60 multi-specialty outpatient clinics, 18 dialysis units, and parking for over 800 vehicles. The architectural design reflects Madaba's local identity, including its historic mosaics and mountainous landscape.
The project, delayed for nearly a decade, has now been accelerated by the government, cutting the original execution time from seven to three years, with completion set for 2028.
The cornerstone ceremony was attended by ministers of economic affairs, investment, and political and parliamentary affairs, as well as KBW CEO Ahmad Sallakh.

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