- The new Provincial hospital, in the Valparaíso Region, is the first infrastructure work in Chile being built with a gender perspective.
March 8, International Women's Day, marks a significant milestone in the construction industry and in the execution of the works of the Marga Marga Provincial Hospital (HPMM), in the Valparaíso region. A team made up of 35 women will begin the construction of the nursery building of the new hospital complex, becoming the first infrastructure work in the country to be realized with a gender perspective.
The Sala Cuna building will be built over a period of 12 months and includes an area of 750m2, which is distributed on one floor with a 6-meter high ceiling. Once the building is completed, the workers will be employed in the construction of the Emergency Medical Attention Service (SAMU) building, so that their integration into the industry is for the long term.
"This initiative arises from the need to combat inequality and give job opportunities to female workers in the Province of Marga Marga, and especially to those who live closest to the enclosure, thus highlighting the role of women in construction, "said ACCIONA's Building Manager, Bonifacio Salvador.
As part of the development of this initiative, ACCIONA has carried out 4 Training Workshops in Carpentry, Masonry and Framing Construction Techniques in the last year, which have enabled 120 women to become certified in these new skills, mainly from the communes of Villa Alemana, Quilpué, Olmué and Limache.
Claudia Montenegro lives in the Quilpué commune. She is the mother of 3 children and participated in the first training course held last year. Today she is serving as Master Steel Worker. "This job changed my life. We have the great challenge of showing that our work is the same as that of a man, "she said.
Katherine Galastica will be the Site Manager of the Sala Cuna building and will be responsible for leading the group of workers in the execution of its construction. "Unlike leading a group of men, you realize that they tend to be more independent from things at home, however, in addition to being workers, these women remain mothers and wives at all times. Their work is doubly exhausting and it is very admirable to see how they are able to divide their time and energy to successfully fulfill each role, "she pointed out.
For his part, Pablo Miranda, head of Labor Relations for the Marga Marga Hospital Construction Project, added that during the execution of the work, ACCIONA will also carry out internal training campaigns on equality and gender equity. "Our responsibility lies not only in promoting new job opportunities for women in the construction industry, but also ensuring that they join a healthy work environment with long-term projection, and for this, we have to work to raise awareness amongst all the workers about the importance of the role of women and their inclusion in this male-dominated sector. "
The process of incorporating women in the construction of the hospital has been a joint effort between the Government of the Province of Marga Marga, the National Training and Employment Service (Sence), dependent on the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare; and OTEC Aconcap.
With a total area of nearly 75,000 m2, the construction of the Marga Marga Provincial Hospital began in August 2020. It will be the largest health facility in the Valparaíso region and will serve a population of about 500,000 inhabitants.
Qualified from the care point of view as a medium to high complexity facility, the new health facility will have 9 wards, 282 beds, 3 comprehensive delivery rooms, dialysis rooms; neonatal, infant and adult Intensive Treatment Units (ICU); medical boxes and dental procedures, among other medical benefits.