Kuwait’s Health Ministry is seeking bids for a contract worth an estimated $1bn for the expansion of Farwaniya hospital.

The project involves building a new 955-bed annex that will offer 30 emergency rooms and 27 operating rooms. The project will also include the construction of laboratories, a pharmacy and car park for 1,500 vehicles.

A total of 26 firms have been prequalified to bid on the project. Tenders must be submitted by 12 November.

The project is part of a plan to expand nine hospitals in Kuwait to improve the provision of public health services in the country. The expansions will add 5,000 beds to the current capacity of the state’s hospitals.

Last week, the ministry issued a tender for a contract worth an estimated $700m for the expansion of Al-Adan hospital. The project involves building a new 637-bed annex for women and childbirth, a new surgical building that will offer 21 operating rooms, and a new wing for medical and physical therapy. Bids must be submitted by 16 October.

In August, the local Burhan International Construction Company submitted the low bid of $1.27bn for the contract to expand the Jahra Hospital. Local Bayan National Trading Company had the second-lowest bid of $1.38bn. The package includes the construction, furnishing and operational maintenance of a 1,157-bed hospital adjacent to the existing Jahra hospital in the Jahra governorate of Kuwait.

Earlier in September, the ministry extended the closing date to 29 September for bids for the contract to build an annex to Al-Sabah hospital.

In June, 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 contract to expand the Infectious Diseases Hospital in the Al-Asimah governorate in Kuwait.