The health ministry unveiled plans to pump BD270 million to finance eighteen new projects under the GCC marshal plan. In a statement to Al-Ayyam, Health Ministry undersecretary for hospital affairs Dr. Amin Al-Saati revealed that a timetable had already been drawn up to carry out the planned schemes. A sixty-bed dialysis centre costing BD8 million has already been approved and will be constructed in the Southern Governorate. The green light has also been given to construct an BD8-million hospital for chronic diseases in Muharraq. “Work on both projects is expected to last from 30 to 35 months”, Dr. Al-Saati said, stressing the ministry’s readiness to launch the projects next month. Other projects are also in the pipeline, including public hospitals and specialised diabetes, health and rehabilitation centres. Dr. Al-Saati said that the planned projects would be distributed geographically to accommodate the needs of different areas.