The European Investment Bank and Dutch healthcare provider Zuyderland Healthcare Group have signed a € 100 million loan agreement. Zuyderland is based in the towns of Heerlen and Sittard-Geleen in the province of Limburg in the south of the Netherlands. It will use the funding to optimize and modernize the delivery of health services for around 480,000 residents of the Limburg region.
Zuyderland operates the largest non-university hospital in the Netherlands and is among the top 28 clinical hospitals in the country. With its ongoing investment program, Zuyderland intends to redistribute and consolidate various services between its two sites in Heerlen and Sittard-Geleen. This process includes the construction of operating theaters and new laboratories in Sittard-Gerleen, as well as the partial renovation of the Heerlen site. At the same time, long-term care facilities in Zuyderland must meet the growing demands of an aging population, which requires an expansion and upgrade of its long-term care, assisted living and home care facilities. New modern facilities capable of meeting changing demand and regulatory requirements are expected to benefit both patients and healthcare workers.
Roel Goffin, Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of Zuyderland said: “We are very pleased to have entered into this agreement. This shows that the European Investment Bank shares Zuyderland’s vision for the South Limburg region. With this loan, our investment program will be secure until 2029, which means we can continue to develop our “best care, whenever possible at home” strategy. A fantastic stopover for Zuyderland! “
EIB Vice-President Kris Peeters added: “The times are obviously tough for the healthcare sector. happy to be able to support Zuyderland with its investment program, which is also very much in line with our own mission, to improve people’s lives through our investments. “
An essential part of Zuyderland’s program is the introduction of innovative healthcare models so that certain medical cases no longer require hospitalization. For patients with multiple morbidities and chronic illnesses in particular, the program intends to move medical care out of hospital and closer to home. Some of the new healthcare facilities will also take into account the special needs of the growing number of patients with dementia and similar illnesses. Overall, the new and renovated facilities will improve conditions for patients and staff.
The EIB has made nearly € 2.2 billion in loans available for projects in the Netherlands in 2020.
