The Kuwait government is seeking to expand healthcare infrastructure in line with its growing population, which is expected to rise from 3.4 million to 5.4 million by 2030.

One of the largest programmes under way is the expansion of nine hospitals by the Health Ministry and the Amiri Diwan, which will add a total of 5,000 beds to the current capacity.

Several contracts have been awarded by the ministry and a few tenders are still being reviewed under the programme.

The first tender to be awarded was for the construction of a 240-bed expansion to the Al-Razi hospital. The local Alghanim International signed a $112m deal to perform the work in November 2012.

In May this year, a joint venture led by Kuwait’s Associated Construction Company signed a $343m contract with the ministry to expand the Al-Amiri hospital, which will add 460 beds to the existing facility.

The following month, a joint venture of Metallurgical Corporation of China and the local Al-Tawbad General Trading and Contracting Company submitted a low bid of $184m for a deal to expand the Infectious Diseases Hospital in the Al-Asimah governorate.

In August, the local Burhan International Construction Company submitted the lowest bid of about $1.3bn for the contract to build a 1,157-bed expansion to the Jahra hospital.

The Health Ministry is currently seeking bids for a deal worth an estimated $700m involving the construction of a 637-bed annex to the Al-Adan hospital. The closing date for submitting the tender is 10 November.

The health authority also recently issued a tender for a contract worth an estimated $1bn for the expansion of the Farwaniya hospital. The scheme involves building a 955-bed annex that will include 30 emergency rooms and 27 operating rooms. Tenders must be submitted by 12 November.

The ministry has extended the tender closing date to 12 November for the $385m deal to build an annex to the Al-Sabah hospital. The package includes the construction of a 600-bed medical tower. A total of 24 firms have been prequalified to bid on the scheme.

A tender issued last year for the expansion of the Kuwait Cancer Control Centre has yet to be awarded, while a plan to expand the Ibn Sina hospital as part of the programme is still in the design phase.