The Kairouan Medical City mega-project, with an estimated cost of $1.2 billion, aims to be a smart city encompassing all medical specialities and of national, regional and international importance, according to the Minister of Public Works and Housing, Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri.
During her visit to Kairouan accompanied by a Chinese delegation, Zenzri told TAP that this field visit was prompted by the Chinese side’s request to explore, evaluate and study this mega project following the President of the Republic’s state visit to China from May 28 to June 2.
The Chinese side is expected to evaluate and study the project before making its decision, she stressed.
The Minister also pointed out that the city, which will cover an area of 550 hectares, will include nine zones dedicated to different medical specialities.
These will include an industrial zone for the health sector, which will house all medical facilities such as dialysis, intravenous solutions, the production and development of sterilised drugs, a radiological sterilisation centre, the production of intravenous nutrition and the biopharmaceutical industry, she explained.
The project will also promote the production of renewable energy and waste management, as well as housing projects and tourist and cultural areas.
While noting that the project will be carried out in several phases, the Minister announced the imminent start of a hydraulic study to protect the project site from flooding, as well as environmental and traffic studies. The aim is to change the land use from agricultural to residential.
Advisor to the President of the Republic, Mustapha Ferjani, recalled that the state visit of President Kais Saied had facilitated the sealing of strategic agreements with China.
He added that the visit of the Chinese delegation following the President’s trip shows that this project will be a priority, alongside the economic, investment and development agreements signed in China.
The Kairouan Medical City mega-project, located in the Menzel M’hiri delegation (40 km from Kairouan city), aims to create an intelligent, sustainable, integrated and flexible city with all medical specialities.
It aims to attract medical tourism by building hospitals that meet international standards, stimulate scientific research in the health sector and create new export markets for innovative health products.
The project is expected to create more than 40,000 jobs in various sectors and at various levels. It comprises nine zones, notably an industrial zone dedicated to the health sector.
It also includes a healthcare services area with a 400-bed university hospital, expandable to 600 beds, two patient hotels, an emergency unit with medical evacuation by land and air (helicopter), an oncology unit, a radiotherapy centre, an autism care centre, a multidisciplinary public clinic and private clinics.
The project includes an academic area with a medical academy, a medical simulation centre, a national school of biomedical engineering, a health research centre, a health sciences institute, dormitories, university restaurants and private sector institutes and faculties.
There will also be leisure, tourism, sports and residential areas, as well as areas for public services, administrative services, security, waste processing and renewable energy production.
