The enhancements made to the Hospital del Norte, amounting to over 800,000 euros, aim to bolster equipment and will benefit around 84,000 residents while eliminating 140,000 trips annually along the North highway (TF-5) to the Hospital Universitario de Canarias (HUC), located in La Laguna. The president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, states that the goal is “to minimise the distance, direction and number of necessary journeys to access particular health services.”
The estimated 140,000 trips per year translate to an average of 560 each day. The upgrades to equipment include a new laboratory, the adaptation of the oncology room for day Cytostatics – which treat patients with substances that slow or halt the growth of cells, including cancer cells, without destroying them – and enhancements to the blood bank.
Yesterday, the Government Council approved this investment in the form of a grant to the Canarian Health Service (SCS) aimed at upgrading the health centre’s capabilities. This initiative is part of an agreement with the mentioned organisation to assist in improving the necessary health mobility for thousands of citizens who travel to the two main hospitals located in the metropolitan region of Tenerife.
Rosa Dávila reiterates the intention to bring various public services closer to the local populace. She noted that hundreds of journeys are undertaken daily from the northern part of the island to the Hospital Universitario de Canarias (HUC) for procedures such as extractions, specialised consultations, treatments, and diagnostic tests (Pain Unit, pre-anesthesia, laboratory and telemedicine practices). The president highlights that “with this enhancement of the equipment and infrastructure at the Hospital del Norte, the main roads will experience decongestion, particularly at the critical points of the TF-5.”
She announced that another initiative, set to be launched by the Cabildo of Tenerife in 2025, will involve a hospital shuttle service connecting municipalities to the reference hospital centres.
Dávila emphasises that this investment reinforces “our commitment to providing optimal care for cancer patients, located near their homes and with all necessary guarantees.” She also mentions, “the acquisition of a compartmentalised storage refrigerator for the Blood Bank is another pivotal project.” “These are essential provisions aimed at delivering top-quality healthcare.”
Highways
The Cabildo also awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of the road from Santiago del Teide to Los Gigantes for 1.7 million euros, aimed at improving safety for both residents and visitors. Rosa Dávila noted that the aforementioned road is “vital for the mobility and economic growth of a municipality that attracts a considerable number of tourists as it connects with a significant destination like Los Gigantes.” The rehabilitation project encompasses not only superficial pavement enhancements but also additional measures. Proposed interventions include the removal of parking in certain areas and the refurbishment and raising of the pavement. In addition, in the vicinity of the Archipenque viewpoint, road safety will be augmented by eliminating parking on curves with limited visibility and by safeguarding areas where vehicles could potentially tumble down slopes without protective barriers. The projected timeline for these works is six months, covering over 6,000 metres of roadway.
Mobility
Furthermore, the president of the Cabildo announced the approval of a grant amounting to two million euros to Titsa for the replacement and expansion of escalators at the Santa Cruz Interchange. This project not only involves the complete refurbishment of the existing escalators but will also double their current number, increasing from four to eight. “This initiative signifies a substantial advancement towards enhancing one of the key hubs of public transport on the island, utilised daily by thousands,” explains Dávila.
Ecomuseum
The Council has also taken into account the rehabilitation of the Casa de los Soler in the municipality of Vilaflor de Chasna, with a budget of 1.8 million euros. The property was purchased by the Cabildo in 2016 and is a prime example of the island’s historic architecture. The objective of the restoration is to establish an Ecomuseum, where cultural heritage is shared and values pertaining to the rural community’s culture are conveyed. It will serve as a venue for meetings, learning, and revitalisation, with opportunities for research and workshops.
Surveillance
A grant was awarded to the public company Tragsa to carry out adaptations for the Los Topos forest surveillance tower, costing approximately 585,000 euros and with a completion timeframe of nine and a half months.
Emergency
The Governing Council has approved a series of specific capital contributions in favour of the public entity Balsas de Tenerife (Balten), “aimed at addressing various projects concerning the water emergency in Tenerife.” The total contributions amount to 783,903 euros for seven initiatives, including the adaptation of the Barranco de Santos intake; raft classification; risk plans and operational standards; as well as the digitisation, sectorisation, and demand control in the ponds; the final pumping of Cruz Santa-Benijos; repairing a pipe in San Juan de La Rambla; and a capacity test of the Angola Well in Vilaflor.
Moreover, the Council has approved an agreement with the Government of the Canary Islands to implement actions focused on enhancing and solidifying irrigation infrastructure. This specifically concerns financing the re-waterproofing and covering of the El Saltadero Basin in Granadilla for an amount of 2.5 million euros.
Capacity
Additionally, the Council has approved an investment of 200,000 euros for the adaptation and enlargement of the capacity at the Great Hall of the Tenerife Fairgrounds, increasing from 13,000 to 17,000 people, to meet the rising demand for large-scale musical and cultural events.
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