The Taiwanese Embassy has donated $5 million to the Social Security System (Caja) to repair CalderónGuardiaHospital in San José, which was devastated by a fire July 12, 2005.
It was the first of three $5 million installments the embassy has pledged to provide the hospital, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
The donation was made Nov. 17 during a ceremony at the hospital attended by Caja president Eduardo Doryan, Taiwanese Ambassador Tzu Dan Wu, Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno and members of the hospital’s staff.
The $15 million donation will be used to add 280 beds and a new seven-floor building to house obstetric, neonatal, gynecology and surgery units as well as a nutrition center, blood lab and cafeteria, the statement said.
Last July, Calderón Guardia was consumed by flames that gutted the fourth and fifth floors of the building and claimed 19 lives (TT, July 15, 2005).
