The Modern Medical Diagnostic Centre (MMDC) located at Georgetown, has received a donation of four infusion pumps, which will boost its ability to handle more cancer patients seeking chemotherapy treatment at the Centre.

A release said that the pumps, which were handed over to the MMDC last week Thursday, March 25, 2021 were provided through a donation of the Consulate of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Toronto, Canada, in conjunction with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Disaster Relief Initiative Platform (SVGDRIP).

Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minster with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Keisal Peters revealed that the donation is valued at US$4,896.

Peters said “the members of SVGDRIP continue to use their influence and network to assist in the development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in various areas.”

She added that the organization was able to raise half the financial donation used to purchase the equipment and must be commended for their efforts. The organization’s membership spans the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and the US Virgin Islands among other territories.

Peters emphasized that SVGDRIP “is a dynamic platform to bring Vincentians across the globe to rally around the collective initiatives to increase the impact and reach of localized efforts to support SVG before and after major disaster and crisis.”

And she congratulated the Consulate under the leadership of its Consul General, Fitz Huggins, for their consistent efforts in giving back to SVG, noting that this is evidence of the bonds this country shares with other countries and organizations throughout the world.

The Senator further pointed out that this country is now in a better place to improve the quality of health care offered to its citizens.

The deputy hospital administrator, Idinger Miller underscoring the importance of the machines to chemotherapy treatment, said it will allow the treatment to be administered in a more efficient and effective manner, and added that while small in size the machines will “provide life-saving treatment to patients or prolong the life of persons suffering from Cancer.”

Dr. Aimee Taylor, oncologist at the Modern Medical Diagnostic Centre identified a range of benefits derived from the use of infusion pumps which include precision dosage of medication to patients, and the administering of different medications that will be pumped into the bloodstream through the exact passage. Dr. Taylor said that this is a timely and much needed donation to the MMDC and extended appreciation to the donors.

The centre’s Departmental Manager Agatha Stay, also extended thanks to Consul General Huggins and said they can now increase the number of patients receiving chemotherapy daily from two persons to 10, thus significantly reducing the waiting list of scheduled patients.