Kuwait’s Partnerships Technical Bureau (PTB), is planning to develop a new hospital as a public private partnership PPP, and has already started talks with potential advisers on the scheme.

The hospital, the New Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, will have 100 beds and will specialise in the care of the elderly and disabled, particularly those with artificial limbs.

Teams of consultants met with the PTB at the end of October to pitch for the mandate to advise on the development of the project. The bidders include UK-based Ashurst with UK headquartered Ernst & Young, and UK-based DLA Piper with Netherlands headquartered KPMG.

Ashurst and Ernst & Young are already advising Kuwait on the development of the Kuwait Metro. The projects are part of plans by the state to open up large parts of the economy to the private sector and secure a huge investment in infrastructure.

The PTB will oversee 32 privatisation projects which aim to raise an estimated $28bn and cover sectors including transport, power and water, tourism, communications and the postal service.

Ashurst is also advising Dubai’s Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms), with UK headquartered PricewaterhouseCoopers, on the development of a hospital PPP in the emirate.