CT scan machine relocated to MCMH

This country’s new CT scan machine was recently moved from the Victoria Park, where it was being temporarily stored, to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), in preparation for physical installation at that institution within the next week or two.{{more}}

Minister of Health Cecil McKie told Parliament on Tuesday, May 24, the machine is stored in boxes in a 40ft container away from the elements. He said engineers from GE Electric had indicated earlier that it is “okay” to store the machine in the container for “this length of time”, and in any event, the machine is given ventilation periodically.

Responding to a question asked by Daniel Cummings, Member of Parliament for West Kingstown, concerning the date the machine was purchased, the condition under which it is being stored, and for how long will it be kept in storage, and the place it will be installed and when, McKie made it clear that the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration has taken a completely different approach to the previous New Democratic Party (NDP) on the matter.

He said this is a result of the ULP having a different vision as well as different policies.

According to Mckie, the CT scan machine was purchased with funds provided by the National Insurance Service (NIS) and the former National Commercial Bank (NCB) to the tune of EC$1.4 million.

He said after several delays, the CT scan machine arrived in St.Vincent and the Grenadines on February 11, 2011, and was handed over to the Ministry of Health and the Government of St.Vincent and the Grenadines on March 11, 2011.

He said the machine will be installed soon, once the GE installation team of engineers arrives here.

McKie said as far back as when Yvonne Francis-Gibson served as Minister of Health under the NDP regime, she was asked when would her administration be purchasing a CT scan machine.

McKie said the hansard of December 12, 1996, had captured Francis-Gibson saying that the CT scan was a ‘highfalutin’ machine, and the opposition Labour Party had been looking at Chicago Hope and other such movies. McKie said Francis-Gibson went as far as stating that Vincentians were healthy and that there was no need for a CT scan machine. He added that she concluded that it was more cost effective for Vincentians to travel to neighbouring countries to obtain the service.

Francis-Gibson’s comments were described as a clear sign of shortsightedness and a lack of vision.

“Where there is no vision, the people suffer first and then they perish,” said Mckie.

“We have waited a long time to own our own CT scan machine. We don’t think it as being ‘highfalutin’. We certainly don’t take action based on movies that we see and we must admit that we have a vision that allows us to chart a clear way forward after consultation,” said McKie.

He disclosed that over the years, approximately 300 to 400 persons had to travel to neighbouring countries to obtain the service.

“We have now taken action decisively. There are specific regulations which we must follow as set out by the suppliers and their team of installation experts. We must get this right, and we are following their directives,” said McKie.(HN)