Medical Diagnostic Centre at Georgetown to open soon

The twenty-two million dollar Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Centre being built in Georgetown should open its doors in January 2018.

Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment Luke Browne divulged this information in Parliament last week, in response to a question asked by Leader of the Opposition Dr Godwin Friday.

Browne said the Centre is now set to be an addition to the neighbouring clinic and Smart Hospital that already provide healthcare services in Georgetown.

The project, which was started over a decade ago, initially conceived as solely a diagnostic project, “has taken on additional dimensions in that it will not be restricted to diagnostics, but will also delve into the area of treatment,” said the Minister.

Using the Project Manager’s Status Report 2017 as the basis for his answer, Browne stated that the centre is 90 per cent complete with the building itself being 95 per cent complete.

He said the internal work left to be done include the installation and testing of water pumps; the installation of an electrical panel; switches in the X-ray room; specific countertops in the lavatory area to meet specifications; the finishing of the installation of a ceiling in the operating theatre; testing of the fire alarm system and the air conditioning units.

External tasks to be completed are a concrete walkway to annex the facility to the clinic and Smart hospital; grading and compacting of the car park and the finishing of planting of lawn grass and removal of weeds.

The Minister also said the equipment for the operation of the facility is “by and large already procured and on the ground.”

Expenditure to date on the project is $21,853,000 of which $20 million was dispersed prior to 2017, and the rest spent this year. A small provision is to be made for 2018 to finish ‘odds and ends’ which will take the end sum to just over 22 million dollars, the Minister further disclosed.

The new services to be provided by the facility will be implemented in phases, with specific services being: dialysis for adults and children, oncology, radiology, ultrasound, laboratory, diabetic, foot ulcer care, endoscopy, intensive care and general medical consultations.

The Minister thanked the Government of Cuba, the National Insurance Services and all the stakeholders involved in the project.(KR)