Behnam Samie said protecting administrative and healthcare buildings rested with the Directorate of Engineering and Construction of PIHO. 

"The quality of buildings is instrumental in the quality of providing services to customers and employees of petroleum industry and their families. The high quality of buildings is directly linked with the level of customer's satisfaction," he added.

Samie said: "At the Directorate of Engineering and Construction, we try to take into consideration improving the maintenance and construction of new buildings of high quality in a bid to win our customers' satisfaction so that they would deserve the dignity of petroleum industry and healthcare centers employees."

"Over the past years, there has been insufficient attention vis-à-vis buildings of petroleum industry healthcare centers and their maintenance," said Samie.

"Many of our hospitals do not have a techno-engineering section and other service and oil companies account for maintenance, whose performance is often weak," he added.  

 

Setting Targets for Project Completion

 

Samie touched on decrepit buildings of PIHO, saying: "Completing projects from the previous years like the Shahinshahr, Azadi polyclinic and Aghajari buildings have been among objectives set out by the Directorate of Engineering and Construction over recent two years. Now, in light of completion of project, healthcare buildings are in favorable conditions." 

Samie also said that Phase II of the Aghajari project is under way for building yards.

He said that the issue of following up on buildings maintenance would be time-consuming. 

"After follow-up we managed to receive approval for an IRR 20 billion for the maintenance of buildings in line with the decision of the Board of Directors of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)," he said.

Samie added that the targets set for maintenance of buildings in 2017 were met, including reparations at the Mashhad polyclinic and PIHO hospital in Tehran.

 

PIHO Hospital Wards Under Reconstruction

 

Samie said: "The project for the reconstruction of facing of PIHO hospital in Tehran and reparations in all wards, ICU ward and replacement of elevators were carried out. This trend will continue in 2018." 

He said that plans had been made for the maintenance of buildings in the PIHO hospital in the oil-rich southwestern city of Ahvaz. 

Some reparations were done in 2017 and some others would be under way this year, he added. 

"The Directorate of Health and Treatment has upgraded the operating rooms in the Ahvaz hospital. But the ground floor, emergency ward and clinics need reconstruction, which is included in our agenda," said Samie.

 

Assaluyeh Trauma Center

 

Samie said: "Building a trauma center in the Assaluyeh era was on our agenda for this year, but unfortunately we faced problems in the allotment of land by the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone and follow-up efforts are still under way for the handover of land."

He added that plans were under way for building two specialized polyclinics in Ahvaz, adding: "These projects were approved this year by the NIOC Board of Directors."

"Measures are under way to identify the contractor. Advertising has been done in cooperation with the Public Relations Department of PIHO. If finalized, implementation will start this year," he said.

 

Land Allotment for Ahvaz Polyclinics

 

Samie said allotment of land for these projects has been done in line with the decision of the Board of Directors of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC).

"Removing legal obstacles to the deed of land in Mirdamad for the construction of an ultramodern hospital was another measure undertaken last year. The documents for the management of this project have been distributed and we are in the phase of identifying project management," he added. 

"Meantime, we have had talks with the municipality for planning permission. This procedure is under way in cooperation with the Directorate of Supervision on Development Projects in Oil-Rich Areas," Samie said.

 

Close Cooperation for Building Reparations 

 

Samie said: "We have been in contact with all areas in the section of general reparations of buildings and maintenance and hopefully there is no problem with regard to credit allocation and all projects have been implemented in cooperation with the Directorate of Finance and Areas of PIHO."

"In light of population under coverage in Masjed Soleyman, the Directorate of Engineering favors building an equipped clinic, but the Directorate of Areas insists on building hospitals. After follow-up arrangements by the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), a new hospital is expected to be built in this area," he added. 

 

Masjed Soleyman Hospital Still Operating 

 

Samie said petroleum industry hospital in Masjed Soleyman is still operating in line with the instructions of the Board of Directors of PIHO and NIOC. "But keeping the current building is not correct because of its age," he added. 

"The health, safety, environment (HSE) of NISOC has given its approval to some sections of this healthcare center. Once final approval is made we will be cooperating in the construction of polyclinic. However, the Directorate of Engineering and Construction is opposed to the use of this building," he said.

 

Upgrading Services

 

Samie said the building of Azadi polyclinic has 100 parking lots. At the discretion of the polyclinic manager and PIHO security, clients can use the unused capacity of the yard and the parking lots. He said that BRT and subway facilities were available there.

He expressed hope for full use of the capacity of the Shahinshahr, Azadi Polyclinic and other projects. 

Referring to the organizational structure of PIHO Directorate of Engineering and Construction, he said: "We hope to be able to provide better services by improving the organizational structure."