MADISON (AP) — Two rival hospitals are asking Madison County municipalities and citizens for their support in their long-standing battle over who should provide health care in the county.

St. Dominic Health Systems wants to build a hospital in Madison, while Health Management Associates, whose medical center is under construction in Canton, strongly opposes the idea having another hospital in the county right now, saying the population cannot support a second one.

Officials from both companies have launched ad campaigns and sought the blessing of various cities and business leaders in the past few weeks in an effort to drum up support for their respective projects before St. Dominic’s hearing Feb. 3-17 on its latest certificate of need application and staff analysis.

Ultimate approval of the project by the state Department of Health, which could take several years, would allow St. Dominic to relocate 71 beds from the Jackson campus to create a new $21 million hospital and medical offices off Interstate 55 in Madison.

HMA, which owns Madison River Oaks, is opposing St. Dominic’s plans to relocate beds to Madison County because it would, among other reasons, harm the hospital financially, said Davis Richards, chief executive officer of Madison River Oaks.

‘‘This proposed hospital, if allowed, will compromise the success of the hospital that we are building here today,’’ Richards said of the facility scheduled to open late next year.

Paul Arrington, vice president of business development for St. Dominic’s, said Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler and the city’s board of aldermen, the Madison County Economic Development Authority, the Madison County Business League and the local Chamber of Commerce has voiced support for St. Dominic in recent weeks.

The city of Canton, however, is backing the $42 million HMA project.

which includes 67 beds on a 30-acre site off I-55 on Nissan Parkway in Canton. The beds are being relocated to the new site from the East Peace Street facility in Canton known as the Madison County Medical Center.

Both hospitals have asked Ridgeland city leaders for their support, but they have remained neutral thus far. Ridgeland aldermen recently said they would take the issue under advisement.

Arrington says there is a ‘‘clear need’’ for an additional hospital in Madison County, but HMA is more interested in monopolizing health care in the county than serving the patients.

‘‘It’s one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, and it’s the most under-bedded,’’ he said. ‘‘HMA needs to stop obstructing our ability to fill the need.’’

The county’s 67 beds represents about three-quarters of a bed per 1,000 people, according to the Center for Policy Research and Planning of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. The center projects the county’s population will swell from 89,684 to 128,427 over the next 15 years – a 43 percent increase.

Due to the rapid growth, in 15 years time, the number of beds will fall to about half a bed per 1,000 people, the center predicts.

Richards contests that HMA does not oppose St. Dominic or any other hospital’s presence in the county, as long as the Department of Health’s state health plan allows for it. Currently, he said, the plan does not call for any additional hospitals in the area.

Arrington said while the plan does not allow additional new hospitals, St. Dominic’s is only requesting to relocate beds from one place to another within a state health department 17-county area that includes Hinds and Madison counties. St. Dominic’s is not asking for any new beds, he said.

‘‘At the end of the day, our beds will not change the state’s inventory,’’ Arrington said.

The rivalry between the two hospitals goes back several years.

St. Dominic’s initial certificate of need for 100 new beds in Madison County was filed in 2002, but the application was denied.

Arrington said St. Dominic had petitioned for the beds because HMA filed an application to leave Madison County for a new facility in Jackson. HMA’s plans, however, were denied. HMA later filed to relocate its Canton beds under the name Madison River Oaks.

St. Dominic fought the relocation of Madison River Oaks after the Department of Health granted HMA approval through a certificate of need in 2005. St. Dominic’s lost the court fight and subsequent appeal.

In 2007, St. Dominic again filed for a certificate of need for a Madison facility but withdrew the application before a decision could be made.

The February hearing will address the company’s latest application, this time for the relocation of beds rather than the addition of beds. HMA has vowed to fight St. Dominic’s proposal.

Madison County Board of Supervisors President Tim Johnson said he wants to see the situation resolved. He welcomes the idea of having both hospitals and others in Madison County.

‘‘I’ve done everything I can to help HMA. I’ve supported them in their efforts. I also want to offer my support to St. Dominic.

‘‘I want the residents of Madison County to have choices,’’ he said.