The new Health Minister guarantees the opening of the Granada PTS hospital in just one year

María José Sánchez, brand new Minister of Equality, Health and Social Policies, this morning carried out her first appearance before the news media to reel off what her priorities will be at the head of the department she heads. Among them, she has highlighted her commitment to meet the deadlines given by her predecessor in office with respect to the opening of the Health Sciences Technology Park (PTS) hospital. Sánchez has guaranteed that the health center will be operational in one year, by the fall of 2014.

Lacking equipment, the modern hospital is on the final stretch toward opening. The regional minister stated that the technical specifications for the tender will be released shortly so that participating companies can submit their bids, given that the public-private partnership system has been launched. "We are going to carry out this phase as quickly as possible and with the legal guarantees and agreed deadlines," she stated.

The Health Minister also took advantage of her presence in Granada to categorically deny that the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) is closing the Baza hospital. "I don't understand where anyone got the idea that we would do this, because it is an absolutely key hospital for the northern province of Granada," she stated. She went even further, pointing out that it covers an area far enough from the Granada capital that no one would consider closing it. "What's more, expansion work is being done on the trauma ward, and I have suggested on several occasions that the emergency room should be renovated because it has become too small; in other words, there is demand," the head of the Health Ministry concluded.