Top class private hospital planned
By Charles Pitt

Proposals to build an upmarket private hospital in Tupapa are well advanced.
Tepaki Group are behind the venture. On Thursday morning developer Tim Tepaki announced that medical practitioner and former Prime Minister Dr Robert Woonton will head the new health facility.
Tepaki told the Times the land has already been identified and discussions with landowners are well progressed.
According to Dr Woonton, it will not be a clinic. This will be a proper hospital and will cost around $2 million to construct and at least $5 million to equip.
It will be developed over three phases.
The first two phases will see at least 10 beds, X–Ray facilities, an operating theatre, and a testing laboratory.
In the third phase of setting up there will be conference facilities where visiting specialists can work and lecture. It can also be used for student training purposes.
Dr Woonton said a number of doctors, including specialists, have already indicated their willingness to join the venture.
At least four doctors are expected at the start. Most are Cook Islanders. Dr Woonton said he wants top Cook Islands surgeons currently working overseas to be a part of the venture.
ALIKE
While the private hospital will seem like a five star hotel, it will cater for all, Cook Islanders and overseas patients alike.
Dr Woonton said the hospital’s more central location meant it may well deal with some public accident and emergency cases. In that regard some discussions will be had with the Ministry of Health.
Tepaki said with the up market hotel projects due to start, it was decided to form a first class private hospital. Dr Woonton said the current public hospital had no top class hospital against which to measure its standards and performance.
The new private hospital would set and maintain a high standard of care, treatment and recuperation.

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