Bangladesh Dialysis Centres

Bangladesh Dialysis Centres

This blog is now expanding to focusing on infrastructure of a type which hasn’t been explored at all: healthcare infrastructure. The first project which I am going to focus on is in a country of the Indian subcontinent: Bangladesh. According to KPMG, “Bangladesh is launching its first healthcare PPP: two dialysis centres in the cities of Dhaka and Chittagong at a cost of US$1.8 million” (KPMG). The role of the private sector in this project would be that of creating the existing infrastructure while the government would provide financial and logistic support.  There would be a leasing contract between the Directorate General of the Health Services, the Infrastructure Development Company (which acts as the capital provider) and Sandor Medicaid (which is the project developer).

This initiative is said to increase the number of dialysis machines and broaden the level of dialysis services by adding new capacity into existing public hospitals. This project will be developed through the design, build, finance and operation (DBFO) method. It is said that, based on the success of this project, other healthcare infrastructure-related projects like diagnostic services, imaging facilities, laboratories, pharmacies and ambulance services might be completed through public-private partnerships.

The Chittagong Medical Center, shown here, would have one of the two dialysis centers in this project (Image Credits: National University Archive)

Central I70 project

Central I70 project

Continuing with our focus on major infrastructural projects in the Middle States, the Central 70 project is considered to be the largest infrastructure development project in the Colorado Department of Transportation’s history. The project’s main objective is to reconstruct a 10-mile stretch of I-70, add a new express lane in each direction and construct a 4-acre park in a portion of the lowered interstate. Finached through a public-private partnership, the project would cost $1.2 billion in value. The CDOT would be working with Kiewit and Meridiam, for this project.

“The need for this project results from the following issues:

·      Increased transportation demand

·      Limited transportation capacity

·      Safety concerns

·      Transportation infrastructure deficiencies” (Denvergov)

At present, the project has attracted controversy regarding changes to laws which reduce the required air quality standards for the project. This project is linked to the I70 Mountain Corridor Project, which was discussed in this blog in February this year.

A picture of the existing highway (Image Credits: Denver.Local CBS)

Denver FasTracks

Denver FasTracks

This country needs many ambitious transit projects to keep it running. One of them is the FasTrack system. A multi-billion-dollar public transportation expansion plan, it is expected to bring in 122 new miles of commuter and light rail, along with expansion of the T-REX project, 57 new transit stations and stops, 21,000 new parking spaces, 18 miles of a bus service between Denver and Boulder and the renovation of Denver Union Station as a multi-modal transportation hub. What are the main objectives of this project: they include similar goals from other initiatives mainly increasing transit-oriented development that will reduce sprawl, congestion and pollution.

While originally budgeted at $4.7 billion, it has ballooned to up more than $7 now. What happened? Once again, the usual problems of stalled negotiations with an existing infrastructure, economic impact of 2008 recession, inflation in cost of materials and delays in construction have made Denverites to wait for this project even more. With budget cuts, driver shortages and declining ridership among the existing transit lines, the state leadership has to definitely take a call if they want to focus on existing ridership or continue develop Denver FasTrack.

An overview map of the project (Image Credits: Denver Infill)