July 7 (BTA) - The European Investment Bank (EIB), funded by the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH), will provide support to the Black Sea municipality of Bourgas, Bulgaria to facilitate project preparation for the construction of a children's hospital, the EIB reported on July 6.

The construction of the new hospital is an integral part of the Bourgas Municipality's Investment Programme for the period 2020-2023 and is also considered as an important component of the country's healthcare strategy by the Ministry of Health. The new hospital will address the healthcare needs of children and adolescents in the city of Bourgas, one of the fastest growing cities in Bulgaria.

European Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said the EIAH is a fundamental component of the Investment Plan for Europe.

EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova, who oversees EIB Advisory Services, said: "Advisory support from the EU bank will be key to unlocking investments in the healthcare sector in Bulgaria. This support also comes at a crucial time, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, and I am very glad we will be able to support one of Bulgaria largest cities in delivering state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure to its people."

Bourgas Mayor Dimiter Nikolov stated: "Building a new hospital that specializes in providing medical care to children is not only important for Bourgas, but for the south-eastern region of Bulgaria as a whole. It will enable medical professionals to provide efficient treatment to child patients with serious medical conditions and will eliminate the unnecessary risks involved in transporting them to major hospitals in Sofia."

The advisory support from the EIB and international consultancy experts will provide the municipality with a comprehensive feasibility study that will include functional planning and preliminary designs for the hospital, in line with best international practices and standards. The advisory support will also be key to unlocking access to finance for this ambitious project, including potentially from the European Structural and Investment Funds and the EIB (under the European Fund for Strategic Investments).

The hospital is due to be constructed by 2024. NV/VE

/СН/