Natal Municipal Hospital, in Pitimbu, opened in December 2024, but never operated Thiago César/Inter TV Cabugi The Management Council of the Public-Private Partnership Program of the Municipality of Natal (CGPPP) began analyzing a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) proposal for the management of the Natal Municipal Hospital. The amounts involved in the proposal were not disclosed. According to the city hall, the proposal provides not only for the management of the hospital unit, but also for the completion of the structures still necessary for the hospital to operate. ? Click here to follow the g1 RN channel on WhatsApp In a note, Natal City Hall informed that the Expression of Private Interest (MIP) in question is only an initial and unilateral step by the authoring company. "Such a proposal still needs to be submitted to a series of administrative procedures. It is also necessary to clarify that after all the analysis stages, the Municipality may or may not choose to move forward with the MIP. And, if the process indicates that the proposal is valid for the public interest, the City Hall would still need to submit it to a public call to verify the adherence of other interested parties", says the note. READ ALSO: Opened a year ago, Natal Municipal Hospital remains closed Inspection points out structural problems in construction work at Natal Municipal Hospital Initial Analysis Before reaching the Management Council of the Municipality's Public-Private Partnership Program, the proposal underwent a preliminary technical assessment carried out by the Municipal Secretariat of Concessions, Partnerships, Entrepreneurship and Innovations (Sepae) and the Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS). "Our role was to carry out an initial technical assessment to verify whether the project was in line with the needs of the Municipality. Based on this joint analysis with the Municipal Health Department, we understand that the proposal deserves to be deepened, as it presents an alternative capable of contributing both to the management of the Municipal Hospital and to the completion of the structure that still needs to be executed, always with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the services offered to the population", stated the municipal secretary of Sepae, Arthur Dutra. The Public-Private Partnership Program Management Council is a deliberative and consultative body linked to the Mayor's Office. Among its responsibilities are analyzing, monitoring and deliberating on public-private partnership projects and concessions within the municipality. Natal Municipal Hospital The Natal Municipal Hospital had its first stage inaugurated in December 2024, under the management of then mayor Álvaro Dias, but the unit never came into operation. Despite the inauguration ceremony, the hospital remained closed due to the need to complete works, install equipment and structure health teams. According to Natal City Hall, the project is divided into two stages and has an estimated cost of around R$160 million. The first phase includes 100 beds, 90 in the infirmary and 10 in the ICU, as well as an imaging diagnostic center, pharmacy, kitchen, laundry and procedure rooms. The second stage involves expanding the unit with new beds, a surgical center and maternity ward.