A new series of local town hall discussions on the three new SNF hospitals

In keeping with our commitment to open communication with the respective local communities throughout the construction of the new SNF General Hospital of Sparta, the SNF University Pediatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, and the new SNF General Hospital of Komotini, we are organizing yet another series of public townhall discussions on the hospitals.

The first of the three open meetings was held, focusing on progress in the construction of the new SNF General Hospital of Sparta. Despite the inclement weather, around 200 local residents turned out to participate. The event was opened, via a live connection, by SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos, who discussed the Foundation's vision of expanding access to quality health care for all through its Global Health Initiative (GHI), the importance of cooperation with the Greek state and with the relevant stakeholders, and the dynamic role the public plays in these meetings and, by extension, in shaping the project.

Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistocleous participated in the discussion and underlined the spirit of good cooperation and the commitment of the Ministry of Health to meet its obligations, both with the sole aim of ensuring the smooth completion of the project. Also participating in the panel on behalf of SNF were SNF Chief Operating Officer Panos Papoulias and SNF Health Initiative Grant Manager Elianna Konialis, as well as AVAX Group Executive Director Antonis Mitzalis, Project Director Dimitris Chasapis, and Deputy Director of Hill International Sylvia Tsitziloni. After the presentation, the public was given an open opportunity to ask questions which were addressed by the panelists, including in comments from Andreas on the importance of looking ahead as a society, and in particular toward the positive developments that the future holds.

The next open meeting, about progress on the SNF University Pediatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, where construction started in February 2020, was held in Thessaloniki. The meeting lasted 80 minutes and was attended by more than 300 people, members of the public of all ages, health professionals, and representatives of the local and regional government. The panel of speakers included representatives from SNF, the Ministry of Health, the project’s Greek partner architectural firm BETAPLAN, and the landscape design office H. PANGALOU AND ASSOCIATES, as well as the design team and the construction contractor, AVAX Group. They gave a detailed presentation on the current status of construction and the next steps that are underway. Deputy Minister of Health Marios Themistocleous addressed the meeting, as did Andreas Dracopoulos, who joined via livestream.

The May 2024 cycle of town halls comes to a close with the meeting about the progress on the new General Hospital of Komotini on Friday, May 17, at 18:00 in the courtyard of the Tsanakleio Megaron.

The grant for the design, construction, and outfitting of the new SNF General Hospital of Sparta, the new SNF University Pediatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, and the new SNF General Hospital of Komotini is part of SNF’s Global Health Initiative (GHI), whose total budget exceeds $1 billion, funded exclusively by SNF. The development of the three new state-of-the-art public SNF Hospitals in Thessaloniki, Komotini, and Sparta reflects a vision shared between SNF and internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano to create model hospitals for the future, which will be based on an intrinsically human-centric approach and will incorporate innovative environmental standards. Upon completion of the construction and outfitting process, the three new SNF hospitals will be handed over to the Greek state for immediate operation within the framework of the country’s National Health System.