MAHRA: The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) on Monday launched the first phase of the King Salman Medical and Educational City project in the Mahra governorate of Yemen. The project costing SR213 million ($57 million) will be spread over an area of 1 million sq. meters. Mohammad Al-Hadi, SDRPY representative in the governorate, said the first phase of the project includes the establishment of a 110-bed hospital equipped with modern technology. He said the hospital would have different departments and a helipad for emergency medical evacuations. Mahra Gov. Mohammad Ali Yasser visited the project site and praised the Saudi efforts to provide health and educational facilities to Yemenis. He said the Yemeni authorities are glad to see the beginning of the construction work on the project. The Yemeni official said the project will help boost the “capabilities of Yemeni youth and qualify them for the labor market.” The King Salman Medical and Educational City will include colleges of medicine, engineering and agriculture. It will have several housing projects, administrative building and a mosque.FASTFACTS • SDRPY focuses on seven key sectors: Agriculture and fisheries, health, water, education, energy, transportation, and government and public sector infrastructure. • It has so far completed 198 projects in the above-mentioned sectors. • In the field of health, the program has supplied Yemeni hospitals with state-of-the-art medical equipment. Two other Saudi key projects in Yemen include the rehabilitation of Aden International Airport at a cost of SR544 million and work on Al-Abr road in the city of Marib costing SR36 million. SDRPY focuses on seven key sectors: Agriculture and fisheries, health, water, education, energy, transportation, and government and public sector infrastructure. It has so far completed 198 projects in the above-mentioned sectors. Other initiatives led by SDRPY in agriculture and fisheries include the cultivation of more than 435,000 square meters of wheat to increase the productivity of both farming and fishing. The program also supplied 220 fishing boats equipped with outboard motors, and built boat repair and maintenance facilities. In the field of health, the program has supplied Yemeni hospitals with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including Al-Jawf Hospital, serving 18,000 patients a month.