New National children’s hospital delayed, costlier

The new children’s hospital at Rigshospitalet, Mary Elisabeths Hospital, is facing a one-year delay and a cost increase of 661 million kroner, raising the total budget to 3.6 billion kroner. The delay means the hospital will now open in 2027. The budget overrun is due to the surge in construction material prices and difficult access to qualified workers for complicated constructions. Lars Gaardhøj, Regional Council Chairman, calls the situation regrettable but necessary to achieve the goal of building a pioneering hospital for children and their families. To prevent expensive errors, the region is enhancing staff for specialized supervision of the construction work, as per Mogens Kornbo, Director of Property Center in the region. The hospital aims to be a central facility for pregnant women, children, and teenagers.