“This is an extremely important location, as it provides equal terms when it comes to access to health care”
José Carlos Rolo, mayor of Albufeira, has pitched the town as a prime location for the Algarve’s new Central Hospital during a recent meeting of the Algarve Municipalities Association (AMAL).
The mayor has already offered up a large area of municipal land where the hospital could be built, defending his suggestion based on the borough’s central location and its bustling tourism sector.
Also highlighted is the borough’s easy access to the main EN125 road and A22 motorway, as well as the regional railway.
“This is an extremely important location, as it provides equal terms when it comes to access to health care, including for those who reside in municipalities located on the edges of the region,” said Carlos Rolo.
Building the Central Hospital in Albufeira would also provide “much relief” to local and neighbouring health services, which the mayor stresses become overwhelmed due to the “exponential population increase” during the summer months.
The mayor also believes the construction of the hospital in Albufeira would improve the quality of life of residents in the town, coupled with a medium- to long-term strategy of investment in areas considered “essential” to retain workers in the municipality, such as housing.
“Plans for the construction of new housing at accessible prices” are being developed, he said.
His pitch for the hospital also focused on the municipality’s efforts to improve education for its younger population, by building new infrastructure or renovating existing ones. He also stressed the investments made so far in the sports sector, such as the municipal pools and the stadium’s running tracks.
“These are all important factors which we believe would make it much easier to retain workers in the region,” he said.
The first draft of the project set Parque das Cidades, between Loulé and Faro and near the Algarve Stadium, as the location for the Central Hospital.
Whether there is room for change in what concerns the hospital’s location – with a new PPP deal due to be launched soon – remains to be seen.
