The expansion project under the country’s largest referral hospital runs aground due to the lack of preparation on land occupancy.

The management of Tikur Anbessa Hospital has been planning to expand the Hospital with billions of Birr investment on Tesema Abba Kemaw Street, adjacent to the Tekelehaymanot Church, with a budget secured from the federal government.

Emperor Hailesellasie inaugurated the Hospital in 1973, built to accommodate 1,000 beds and employ over 3,400 staff, caring for an average of 20,000 patients a year.

Even though the impromptu attempt to expand failed, the project was initiated nine years ago by Yifru Birhanu(Prof.), the former vice president at Addis Abeba University. It was projected to be completed in seven years. The Hospital received 13hct of land from the Addis Abeba City Administration nine years ago.

However, the Mayor’s Office reclaimed the plot due to Tikur Anbesa’s management failure to launch the project in time.

“It could not have been initiated in time as residents that didn’t receive compensation were occupying the space,” said Andualem Deneke (MD), chief executive director of Tikur Anbesa Health Science College. “It took a long time to get the title deed.”

A committee of experts from the Hospital studied the required preparations and how to resume the project, hoping to turn the place into a medical hub for patients from other African countries. Obon Voyage was hired to undertake the design work for a planned academic centre and the dormitory building.

Launched in 2017, the 12-storey student dormitory that can accommodate nearly 22,000 students is under construction. YOTEK Construction Plc has completed 70pc of the work.

The Tikur Anbesa Hospital expansion was projected to be completed in 2030, comprising treatment centres such as nuclear medicine, research and laboratory, with housing areas for medical professionals and students. The academic centre, part of the expansion with an estimated cost of 4.4 billion Br was set to be built in the area financed from the Addis Abeba University (AAU) budget. Occupying a 4,000Sqm of land, the 13-storey centre is expected to include student classrooms, meeting halls and a research centre.

Tilahun Abebe, a grade one contractor, was hired to undertake the centre’s construction six months ago. However, the Addis Ababa Land Management Bureau revoked the University’s right of ownership, reclaiming the plot to the land bank in 2018 for passing the five-year deadline. According to Andualem, the Hospital received a letter from the City Cabinet in 2013, assuring it had acquired the land. However, the Land Management Bureau repealed the letter.