Process of Construction and modernization of Public Health Facilities in a Developing Country

Abstract

The Ministry of Health in Venezuela is undergoing a process for modernization of the existing hospitals and improvement of the health services. This process is financially supported by international agencies such as the World Bank and the Interamerican Bank of Development directed to complete the health care facilities network, specially by providing medical equipment. In this new situation, the States are doing plans for evaluation, rehabilitation and construction of new facilities, but there is a lack of information, directions, methodologies and assistance from the central to the local level. The University, through the Institute of Construction Technology, is doing studies to set patterns of evaluation, building requirements, and proposals of modernization of health facilities, in order to relocate, reuse or build new buildings to allow the new pieces of medical equipment for Treatment and Diagnosis, that involves the areas of high risk, high specialization and sophisticated technology.