Diagnostic services at Bustamante Hospital for Children have been improved with the installation of a new $68.5-million fluoroscopy unit, the second of its kind in the public sector and the first for children.

The fluoroscopy unit, which consists of a specialised X-ray machine that produces real-time moving images that can be viewed on a TV-type monitor, is expected to reduce the processing time for X-rays from 90 to 15 minutes. It will assist in the diagnosing of problems that affect the inner organs, such as the stomach, intestines, kidneys and bladder.

Speaking at the official commissioning ceremony at the hospital’s Arthur Wint Drive location last week, Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton said the unit would assist in the Government’s drive to improve the quality and delivery of healthcare in the country. He said that, since the start of the year, some 30,501 X-rays had been done at the hospital, compared with 21,516 between January and December last year.

Tufton lauded various organisations such as the National Health Fund (NHF) for their continued support to the development of the hospital. Accepting the minister’s encomiums, NHF’s senior vice-president, information and communication technology, Granville Gayle, said acquisition of the unit would make a great difference in the lives of patients through early detection, early diagnosis and prompt intervention.

For his part, Phillip Armstrong, board chairman, South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), said the unit would allow doctors and nurses to better manage client care through better patient safety, and reduce staff dislocation. He noted that previously services provided by the unit had to be outsourced to private facilities.

The NHF provided support for the purchasing and installation of the unit, while SERHA renovated the room that houses the unit.