Developer donates $50M for new children's hospital

Developer Mark Dunajtschik donates $50M for new children's hospital in Wellington

By Sophie Boot

July 10 (BusinessDesk) - Wellington property developer Mark Dunajtschik has donated $50 million to build a new children's hospital in Wellington.

The development was announced by Health Minister Jonathan Coleman this morning. While details have not yet been finalised, it is expected to be around 7,000 square metres, and is likely to be three floors with 50 inpatient hospital beds. It will be built on the Wellington Regional Hospital site in Newtown, with construction to begin early next year and lasting about 18 months.

Coleman said existing child hospital and outpatient services will move into the new hospital, while services and staffing levels are expected to remain the same.

"Mr Dunajtschik is a very successful businessman with a very big heart and his offer to build a new children’s hospital for Wellington is extraordinarily generous,” Coleman said. "While gestures on this scale are not unheard of, they are extremely rare. Mr Dunajtschik has said his philosophy is that people blessed with a sound mind and body can look after themselves, but those born with or suffering illness and disability need our support."

Some 4,000 children and their families are admitted to child health services at Wellington Regional Hospital each year, while over 5,000 children attend nearly 38,000 outpatient appointments. Coleman said Duanjtschik and his team will now work alongside DHB clinical teams to design the hospital.

(BusinessDesk)

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