Luxembourg, 10/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 3 November, the European Investment Bank (EIB) decided to grant a EUR 350 million loan to Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille (APHM) to support its investment programme for upgrading its facilities, in-depth restructuring of its hospital services and introducing innovative therapies in its hospitals.
APHM's investment programme (investment of over EUR 1 billion between 2004 and 2011) is based on the French Government's 2007 Hospitals Plan, which aims to speed up the modernisation of hospitals by substantially increasing investment in this sector with the aid of additional financing. It is eligible for EIB support, as it is in line with European policy on health, education, research and innovation, which the EIB has undertaken to support. This big investment programme is intended to improve maternal and paediatric care, emergency care and care for the elderly. It is also aimed at increasing the hospital's ability to extend its healthcare services to the inhabitants of the whole region and strengthen its role as a major centre for research, development and innovation. With a capacity of more than 3,500 beds, APHM is currently France's third-largest hospital complex and an important research and teaching centre. Its investment programme includes the construction of two new neonatal units at the Timone and Conception sites, two accident and emergency centres at the Timone and North sites, as well as the construction of psychiatric units at Sainte Marguerite and Conception. Furthermore, a geriatric service has been set up at the Salvator site and a state-of-the-art nephrology centre at the Conception site. (ol)