The European Investment Bank (EIB), SaarLB and Bank für Sozialwirtschaft AG are together financing the comprehensive upgrading of Saarland’s University Hospital (Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes – UKS). The EIB is supporting the overall investment with a €85 million loan, with the remainder of the finance coming from SaarLB, which is also leading the consortium, and Bank für Sozialwirtschaft. Saarland’s government will also be providing €36 million to support the project’s research and training goals.

For the one million or so inhabitants of Saarland, UKS is the region’s most important healthcare provider. But in order to be able to provide timely, high quality healthcare services the hospital is in need of thorough modernisation. Saarland therefore wishes to upgrade UKS’s facilities and improve its internal organisation with an investment programme lasting several decades.

EIB Vice-President Wilhelm Molterer, who is responsible for the Bank’s activities in Germany, commented at the contract signing ceremony: “Modern hospitals must fulfil the highest medical requirements. But to ensure the best possible quality and reliability of patient care, they must also organise their procedures efficiently and transparently. The comprehensive upgrading of its facilities and improvement of its organisation that UKS is planning will further cement its position as the preeminent hospital for Saarland and the neighbouring region”.

SaarLB board member Frank Eloy stressed that: “We are making an important contribution to the modernisation of UKS with our financing, thereby ensuring that the quality of medical care in the region will in the future be even higher.”

Prof. Dr. Dr. Hammerschmidt, CEO of Bank für Sozialwirtschaft AG, said: “The optimisation of procedures sought by this investment project will be an essential basis for UKS to work even more successfully in the future.”

Ulrich Kerle, Commercial Director of UKS, added: “The signing of this agreement will help us to implement our long-term plans for ensuring a sustainable future for UKS. Along with our patients, employees and partners, the whole of the Greater Region will benefit.”