On Monday, April 8, the International University of Rabat (UIR) signed a long-term loan of 681 million dirhams to support the construction of a university hospital, two teaching buildings, a medical simulation center, and a health sciences research center. This project aligns with the university's development program, particularly its «Health Pole» initiative. The signing ceremony included UIR shareholders, university leadership, deans and professors representing the medical school, as well as representatives from the lending consortium: Banque Centrale Populaire, Banque Populaire Rabat-Kénitra, and CIH BANK, according to a press release. With an estimated total cost of 1.6 billion dirhams (MMDH) and covering an area of 96,000 square meters, the project aims to strengthen health sciences education and healthcare offerings in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region. It will provide capacity for «more than 4,500 students in various medical and paramedical specialties». The state-of-the-art university hospital, designed to meet international quality standards, will boast 450 beds and cater to over 45 medical and surgical specialties. Construction began in summer 2023 and will be completed in phases by March 2025. By the fourth quarter of that year, UIR expects its teaching hospital to be fully staffed with dedicated professionals and equipped with the latest generation of medical equipment, enabling it to fulfill its threefold mission of education, research, and patient care.
