The institution is working on the build-up of this equipment together with the Ministry of Health
Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue will house a temporary hospital during the health alert
Fira de Barcelona continues to contribute to reducing the effects of the serious health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The institution is cooperating with the Ministry of Health of the Catalan Government by setting up a temporary hospital known as Fira Salut at the Gran Via venue, which is expected to start operating this week initially, with 300 beds.
This temporary hospital, which will occupy several halls at the Gran Via venue, is intended for patients with coronavirus who have mild or moderate symptoms in order to relieve the health system. Up to 600 hospital and primary care specialists are expected to work there.
Fira de Barcelona is working with the Ministry of Health to equip this hospital facility, which has a capacity for over 2,000 places, and it will also provide coverage for basic services once it goes into operation.
Constantí Serrallonga, the managing director of Fira de Barcelona, stated that “in view of the serious health crisis, we are, more than ever, assuming our commitment to the region and its people, which is why we’re making our facilities and knowledge available to the institutions and society as a whole so as to help to alleviate this pandemic in any way we can”.
He also expressed “his gratitude to the Fira staff and its suppliers, who are making this rapid response to the emergency situation possible” and highlighted the institution’s “social responsibility and solidarity”.
The Fira Salut temporary hospital complements other initiatives involving Fira de Barcelona: the assignment of Hall 7 (Victoria Eugenia) of the Montjuïc venue, which has been fitted out as an accommodation centre for people in vulnerable situations, with 225 places that can be increased to a thousand, the donation of two tonnes of food to soup kitchens, which have been distributed by the Nutrition Without Borders, NGO, and the preparation of 17,000 menus in the main kitchen of the Gran Via venue for hospitals and old people’s homes.
Barcelona, 30th March 2020