Humza Yousaf has urged UK ministers not to impose a cut to Scotland's capital Budget so that a new hospital can be built in Fort William and progress made on other important health facilities.
The First Minister was speaking after the spotlight has been put on the 'crumbling' condition of the Belford Hospital in The Herald's the New Highlands Clearances series this week.
Today, a senior doctor at the Belford - Scotland's busiest rural general - challenged the health secretary Michael Matheson - to visit the "functionally unsuitable" facility.
READ MORE: Belford hospital boss's rebuild plea to Michael Matheson
Plans to replace the Belford in Fort William are at an advanced stage but last week staff and the community were dealt a crushing blow after the Scottish Government announced it may not be able to sanction the cash needed to fund the £160 million project.
This afternoon at First Minister's Questions Kate Forbes, the local SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, pressed Mr Yousaf on whether progress could be made on the design of the new hospital so that when funds are available building work can start right away.
"We are absolutely engaged on that very issue at the moment," the First Minister replied.
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"I think the suggestion from Kate Forbes is a sensible approach forward and we'll certainly seek to do that. I think it's essential that NHS boards continue to plan on how they will improve and reform services.
"And we remain committed to absolutely supporting boards and that process."
He said there "are many capital projects right across the country that are under threat".
He added that this is "not because of anything that this government has done but because of the disastrous mismanagement of the economy from the UK Government and a 10% Capital cut, which is not just going to impact on health projects, but in capital projects right across the country."
He added: "We appeal once again to the UK Government to use the spring budget next month to reverse that devastating cut to allow these important health capital projects to go ahead."
The Lochaber community was promised a new hospital would be built by 2002. A community protest is already being planned.
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In an exclusive interview with The Herald in Fort William, clinical lead Dr Steve Gilbert, said staff morale had "taken a big hit" by last week's news of the delay.
The 34-bed Belford deals with around 10,000 A&E cases a year, including mountain and road accidents on the A82 as well as routine emergencies including heart attacks and strokes. Numbers spike during the Summer months when there is a huge influx of tourists.
He said most people would be surprised to see the hospital's "tiny A&E waiting room and handful of emergency cubicles" given the volume of patients it sees.
"We want to be able to offer the same care as a hospital in Glasgow," said Dr Gilbert, who is also a consultant in anaesthetics and pain medicine.
"We've got to nearly the end of planning the new hospital and so it was a massive blow that the Government said there is no money left."
He said it was difficult to "infection-proof" the hospital because there are only a few single rooms.
"We have to be able to do the same service that you would get in Raigmore or a hospital in Glasgow," said Dr Gilbert.
"I'd like to invite Michael Matheson to come up."
He said senior staff would continue to work on the outline business case, which is due to be presented to the Scottish Government in the Summer, despite the question mark over funding.
A UK Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is currently receiving a record £41 billion per year funding settlement from the UK Government – the largest in the history of devolution and one that was further topped up by decisions taken at Autumn Statement.
“It can also borrow up to £450 million for capital investment on top of this record funding, and the UK Government has agreed to inflation-proof that limit going forward."
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