MRI scans in SVG cheapest in the sub-region – PM

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) offers the cheapest Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) service in the sub-region.

And since the installation of the machine at Modern Medical and Diagnostic Centre in Georgetown in early August, 76 scans were done on 66 patients, while 57 patients are awaiting MRI scans for the head and brain.

Scans on other parts of the body regions are ongoing.

These numbers were revealed by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves on Sunday while speaking on WE FM’s Issue at Hand programme.

The Prime Minister said that 11 head/brain scans took place in August but only one took place in September because there was a faulty coil that had to be replaced.

“… And sometimes when you get a new machine, some tweaking has to be done and this was replaced on October 4 and patients are now being scheduled to have their brain/head scans but there are 57 outstanding…,” the Prime Minister explained.

Giving a breakdown of some of the scans done, the Prime Minister said there were 24 scans for the extremities; 25 different spine, cord scans; nine for the pelvis and abdomen; two for the abdomen alone; two breast scans; one whole body scan and two additional scans for other parts of the body.

“We did an average across the region; Trinidad, Barbados, Grenada and whatever the average was we discounted it by 20 per cent so there is no place in the Eastern Caribbean where you would get a cheaper MRI than here,” Gonsalves said.

He added that non Vincentians pay the average price.

“The Bajan who comes here will get it cheaper that you would get it in Barbados, no question about that.

“We have public and private sector operations and some of the private sector ones carry the average a way up,” Gonsalves told listeners.

“This is a small population, small country, and these 66 patients would have had to travel overseas at great expense and this is just two months in operation,” Gonsalves pointed out while adding that there would have been more but the service was interrupted as the part had to be replaced.

The MRI machine cost over $10 million and was sourced with the help of the Maria Holder Trust, based in Barbados.