MONTEGO BAY, St James

The brand new multi-million CAT Scan machine which was presented to the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) three months ago, so that the the public could access world-class radiography services at a reduced cost, still isn’t up and running yet.

“We are concerned about the situation and are moving with alacrity to have it remedied,” said the hospital’s chief executive officer (CEO) Everton Anderson.

According to Anderson, a defect was detected in the high tech machine, which was handed over in late August along with a Radiology Fluoroscopy machine by the then Minister of Health, Horace Dalley, during test-run exercises.

Both machines cost some US$1.5 million.

A report has been made to the manufacturers, who are responsible for sourcing the parts and fixing it.

Anderson said, however, that while the machine would have allowed better access and ease of diagnosis for medical personnel and reduced cost to the public, there is an existing arrangement with private institutions, which offer CAT Scan services at a reduced cost to hospital.

“In cases where patients need urgent CT services we have formal arrangements with private institutions,” he explained.

But such services can run as high as $30,000 at private institutions, which is considerably costly even with a 30 per cent mark down which is afforded hospital patients.

Anderson admitted that the service would have been considerably cheaper at the hospital.

In the meantime, patients who have been waiting to do their CAT Scans aren’t happy

A woman who has been waiting for over a month told the Observer West that her doctor had recommended the test and to date she has been unable to access the service at the hospital.

The patient, who asked to remain anonymous, said she had been waiting too long to know whether the piercing pain in her head is life threatening.

The scanner is particularly good at testing for bleeding in the brain, for aneurysms, brain tumours and brain damage. It can also find tumours and abscesses throughout the body and is used to assess types of lung disease.

Additionally, the CT scanner is used to look at internal injuries.

The funds for the machines were provided by the National Health Fund as part of a larger US$10-million public health modernisation project for the entire island.

It was also part of a larger hospital modernisation project, which saw the regional institution receiving a $65 million seven-bed Intensive Care Unit; a $36- million window replacement project; a $38.16-million roof resealing project and a $4- million facelift.

Hospital administrators including Anderson; acting regional director of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Dr Alexander Konstantinov, and chief medical officer of health, Dr Sheila Campbell Forrester had lauded the acquisition, noting that the 32-year-old institution had never received that kind of equipment before.