NA Public Hospital receives first CT scanner valuing US$250,000

By Royan Abrams

Over the years, patients sustaining serious head injuries had to be transferred from the New Amsterdam Public Hospital to the Georgetown Public Hospital or other private health institutions in the country because of the lack of a CT scan at the New Amsterdam facility.

However, this will no longer be the case as the New Amsterdam Hospital received its first CT scanner valuing US$250,000 from a charitable organisation called RAD-AID which is based in the United States. RAD–AID is an international aid organisation focused on increasing and improving radiology for poor and developing countries.

According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Hospital, Collin Bynoe, the CT scanner will be installed and become operational shortly.

“Sooner or later we will be offering such services here because when persons reach into so many different types of motor vehicular accidents and they suffer certain head injuries, we have to either ferry them off to a private hospital or send them to Georgetown” he added.

The acquisition of the CT scanner is another move by the Ministry of Health to provide improved and quality health care services in the region.

Additionally, the visiting Chinese delegation to Guyana led by Madam Cui Li, Vice Minister of National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China, on Friday, handed over a substantial amount of medical equipment and supplies to Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings.

Items include laparoscopic instruments and equipment and eye testing and eye care equipment and materials. The equipment and supplies will be used at the Linden Hospital Complex Laparoscopic Centre and the GPHC eye clinic. The medical supplies and equipment are valued US$ 420,000.