• European Investment Bank signs €72 million loan with the Lapland Hospital District for the consolidation and extension of the Central Hospital in Rovaniemi.
• The financing will be used to modernise the current facilities, build a new psychiatric hospital and extend the Central Hospital building.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €72 million loan agreement with the Lapland Hospital District (LSHP) in northern Finland. LSHP operates the Central Hospital in Rovaniemi and will use the financing for a major overhaul of the facilities, including the construction of a new psychiatric hospital. The original Central Hospital premises were commissioned in 1988, while the psychiatric hospital is located in a larger-than-needed former tuberculosis clinic 30 km away. With today’s space requirements, efficient workflows, legal requirements and modern design standards, this situation warranted an investment to modernise and improve the situation for patients and staff alike.

EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros stated: “Even before the ongoing healthcare emergency, supporting hospitals was a priority for the EIB, which has culminated in this loan to the Lapland Central Hospital. Comfort and accessibility for patients, as well as efficiency in terms of energy consumption and working environment for staff can definitely go hand-in-hand — as this project proves — and we are happy to support it.”

Practically speaking, the EIB-supported project consists of an extension of the existing Central Hospital building, where a new wing will provide space for modern rooms for diagnostics and treatment. The hospital’s intensive care department and four existing operating theatres will also be rehabilitated, making the hospital well-equipped to address challenges created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and possible future crises. The financing will also support the construction of a new psychiatric hospital, closely linked to the hospital’s main building, as well as a multi-story car park, which will improve accessibility in one of Finland’s most sparsely populated regions.

Background information:

Since its first operation in 1994, the EIB has made available in excess of €24.7 billion in loans for Finnish projects. The EIB borrows money on capital markets and lends it to projects that support EU objectives, with about 90% of all loans being granted within the European Union.

Lapin Sairaanhoitopiiri (LSHP) is a joint municipal authority owned by 15 municipalities. LSHP is responsible for providing health care services for the population of the region in cooperation with primary health care and social services. The resources are planned according to the health care needs of the population and the principles of good service so that the results are economically viable and of high quality. 

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