Region Six hospitals get high-end X-rays totalling $148M

Several residents in Region Six will now benefit from improved health services, following the commissioning of cutting-edge X-ray machines at the Mibicuri, Port Mourant, and the regional hospital in New Amsterdam, totalling some $184 million.

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony commissioned the three Seimens Healthineers radiography systems on Thursday.

While speaking at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Dr Anthony noted that the brand is very durable and provides high-quality images, hence the significant investment that was made to have them procured.

During his address at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Dr Anthony emphasised the exceptional durability and high-quality imaging capabilities of the brand, stressing the reasons for the investment.

He underscored that there has been major investment in the region in recent years, including the upgraded infectious diseases unit and the maternal section at the New Amsterdam Hospital, the current construction of a new Skeldon Hospital, and the upgrading of various health centres across the region.

To facilitate the new X-rays, the department had to be retrofitted which also saw a large some of money being invested.

“The addition of this X-ray is a work that has come to fruition because we wanted to make sure that we modernise the imaging that we offer,” Dr Anthony explained while noting that the machines can also be accessed and analysed virtually.

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Vishalya Sharma said she is pleased that X-ray services are now available to residents at Mibicuri, noting that the undertaking is part of expanding and strengthening the diagnostic services in the region.

“Over the years, we have expanded from EKG (electrocardiogram). We have recently started ECO (echocardiogram) recently at New Amsterdam. Ultrasound has been added for the first time to Mibicuri, and we have an EKG machine at Orealla for the first time. Those are just a few of the services that we would have expanded over the years,” the RHO noted.

She observed that the expansion of services has led to a surge in patients seeking healthcare within the region.

“For the past three years there has been a progressive increase in the number of X-ray exposures done in Region Six, and for 2022 alone we would have seen 22, 400 X-rays being done at three sites in Region Six,” she noted.