Saudi Arabia plans to invest over $65 billion to develop the country’s healthcare infrastructure under Vision 2030. Additionally, the kingdom will offer more than 100 projects over the next five years through the public-private-partnerships (PPP) model, which will provide an estimated capital investment opportunity of nearly $48 billion.
The PPP model includes developing and operating two medical cities in the north and south of the kingdom and establishing other medical rehabilitation and long-term care services. Construction firms with specialised offerings, such as Masah Specialized Construction Company (Masah), are capitalising on these developments.
Established in 2006, Masah has completed over 25 multi-faceted projects, keeping pace with the kingdom’s vision, including healthcare projects, such as Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital in Al Khobar and Al Moosa Specialist Hospital in Al Ahsa, among others.
Masah is also delivering several residential and commercial projects around the kingdom, and is in the final stages of completing the Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical City project in Riyadh, which according to the company, is the largest healthcare city project in the MENA region.
Eng Nayeem reveals that the healthcare city project started in March 2020 and will be finalised by March 2023, as scheduled. Revealing further details, he says that the total built-up area of the project is 420,000 m2 with four basements and 23 floors. He promptly points out that the project came with its set of challenges – the pandemic being the most difficult of them.
“We were able to mitigate these issues by implementing an unprecedented strategy, which allowed the project to progress uninterruptedly, while abiding by government regulations and without compromising the safety of the stakeholders,” he adds.
Eng Nayeem explains that meeting the schedule was the most challenging aspect of undertaking projects of this size in the last two years.
He says: “In the case of Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical City, we made a containment plan to reduce time waste and risk project disruption by relocating the labour accommodation from elsewhere to within the site. This allowed us to proceed with the project and progress with the construction in a timely manner.
“Moreover, Masah isolated the team members who were at risk of catching the virus. We constantly monitored the situation to ensure that our employees’ daily lives were enriched during the ordeal. This allowed us to make sure that the project was a success despite the challenging period and to be ahead of schedule without interrupting the workflow.”
Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical City in numbers
- Poured 250,000 m3 concrete for structural works
- 125,000 m2 glazed area
- 424,000 m2 of gypsum works
- 1,800 tonnes of ducting
- 64 elevators
- 694 toilet pods
- MEP specifications: 11,000 RT of cooling capacity, 34 MVA, 14 km MV, 64 Km LV, 3,000 km low current cables
Eng Nayeem says that the Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical City project is a testament to their [Masah’s] effective contribution to making Saudi Arabia a centre for high quality healthcare services: “This is in line with the main objectives of restructuring the healthcare sector in the kingdom to be a comprehensive, effective, and integrated healthcare system. Mega projects like these also provide improved access to healthcare services through optimal coverage, and comprehensive, fair
geographical distribution.”
He continues: “Projects such as these also reflect the development of Saudi Arabia, as we are talking about high quality, easy-to-access, community-friendly projects with a distinguished building and an iconic presence. Additionally, for our engineers, healthcare sector projects have become a field of high expertise that pushes us to present quality projects each time.”
He remarks that the firm’s understanding of its clients allows them to deliver landmark projects, such as the Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital in Al Khobar and the Al Moosa Specialist Hospital in Al Ahsa, among others, in the healthcare sector, while striving to exceed client expectations.
“We plan to expand more in the western region,” adds Eng Nayeem, elaborating on the company’s future plans. “Masah’s HQ is in Riyadh, and it has a branch in Al Khobar, but we are exploring the options of expanding to the west and southern regions.”
He states that the firm has plans to acquire a larger share in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, having proven its capabilities with projects such as the Ajdan Tower on Al Khobar Corniche and Ajdan Walk, among others.
According to Eng Nayeem, such initiatives have made Masah “the focus of attention of prospective clients in the region”.
He adds: “We are also looking forward to dedicating a larger team in the Eastern Province to be at the centre of significant projects that the region is witnessing.”
This story is part of Construction Week Middle East’s December 2022 Issue. TO fread the full story, click here.
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