Belize Inks $3.2M Contract for Design and Construction Supervision of Belmopan Hospital

The Government of Belize has officially signed a BZ$3.2 million (US$1.63 million) consultancy contract with Dar Al Omran International Engineering Consulting Company (DAO) for the design and construction supervision of a new 150-bed Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Belmopan.

The contract was signed by Financial Secretary Joseph Waight on behalf of the Government of Belize, while Managing Director Yacoub Shubeilat signed on behalf of DAO. The consultancy will span four and a half years, or 55 months, during which DAO will oversee key aspects of the project, from architectural design to on-site supervision and quality assurance.

The government says that the new tertiary hospital is being developed as part of Belize’s 2023-2026 Medium Term Strategy, which aims to strengthen social protection systems and improve healthcare access for vulnerable communities. The hospital will be built with financing from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and government counterpart funding.

DAO’s responsibilities under the contract include:

Architectural and Engineering Design: Development of a comprehensive design for a 150-bed hospital complex.

Supervision of Construction: Overseeing the layout, construction, and landscaping of the hospital.

Quality Assurance: Ensuring that all design and construction activities adhere to standards required by the Government of Belize and the Saudi Fund for Development.

The design phase will take approximately 9 months, with construction expected to last 34 months. The project also includes a 12-month defects liability period to address any construction-related issues.