Ghent hospitals to merge as AZ Ganda, offering specialised care by 2027
Two major general hospitals in Ghent, AZ Jan Palfijn and AZ Sint-Lucas, are merging to form a single healthcare institution under the new name AZ Ganda. With 1,300 officially recognised beds, the newly merged hospital will become the third-largest non-university hospital in Flanders, surpassed only by Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom (ZAS) in Antwerp, which has around 3,300 beds, and AZORG in Aalst, which has around 1,400 beds.
The merger has been in progress for over 18 months. "There are several reasons behind this decision," said Tom Balthazar of AZ Jan Palfijn, speaking to VRT NWS. "We aim to attract more doctors and staff, facilitate investment in advanced technologies, and better meet government requirements. This will make us significantly stronger."
Preparations for the merger will intensify in the coming months, though patient services will remain unaffected in the short term. From 2027 onwards, patients will begin to notice changes as care becomes more specialised across the two main sites.
The Watersportlaan campus will specialise in orthopaedic procedures, including operations on the shoulder, knee and hip. It will also house the new rehabilitation centre, which is currently located at AZ Jan Palfijn. Meanwhile, the AZ Sint-Lucas site will be renamed Campus Groenebriel and will concentrate on acute and unscheduled care, including cardiac and cancer treatments. The campus will also house a consolidated emergency department, as well as centralised geriatric and maternity services. The medical centres outside Ghent will also be integrated into the new structure.
In the longer term, AZ Ganda aims to strengthen its collaboration with Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent), which has 1,049 beds and plays a pivotal role in providing academic and specialist healthcare in the region.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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