SYDNEY, Jan. 08 (Xinhua) -- Australia's tallest hospital building will be the "jewel in the crown" of a new health precinct, officials said on Tuesday, releasing the final plans for the 14-storey skyscraper which is due for completion in 2020.
The tower will join Westmead hospital in Sydney, with the adjacent Children's hospital, and include new emergency departments, operating theatres, surgical suites, helipad and infectious diseases unit.
All together the construction of the new precinct is estimated to total around 714 million U.S. dollars.
"We are now just a few floors away from topping out this building which will also contain a paediatric short stay unit, medical imaging, cardiac inpatient units, sterilising services and more," state health minister Brad Hazzard said.
"It symbolises not only what the New South Wales Government has delivered for the health care of families in Western Sydney but across the State -- 6 billion U.S. dollars on health facilities with 5.7 billion on the way."
The precinct will contain four major hospitals, three medical research institutions and two world class universities, with a deal already made for the University of Sydney to establish a second campus there.
"Our Government is assuring the best health and education facilities in the country so we attract the brightest doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists and students to the region," Hazzard said.
