THE newly refurbished X-ray (x-radiation) Department at the Port Antonio Hospital in Portland was reopened last Thursday.

The department’s upgrade, which cost $25.8 million, was financed by the CHASE (Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education) Fund.

Administrator at the hospital Patrick Campbell, during the opening ceremony, said that patients were greatly inconvenienced following the closure of the department. However, with the reopening and new state-of-the-art X-ray equipment — which will facilitate the use of CDs instead of large films — patients are expected to receive greater care.

Dr Stephanie Reid, in her keynote address, pointed out that there is great demand for health care and that the Government is making it possible for citizens to access good health care.

“This upgrade is critical to patients accessing health care services at this hospital and not elsewhere because of inadequacies. It is offering effective care at our facility. We have some 24 [public] hospitals and over 350 [public] health care facilities across the country so that our people can get access to care.

“Our population has outgrown the scope of health care facilities as a number of our hospitals were built at another time to be responsive at another level of need that has been outlived as the population has grown and the demands are different, hence we are not able to serve the way we want to. We want the patient turnover to be quicker, hence we try to improve and we need to service and care for the equipment. This is a good time for the Port Antonio Hospital,” she said.

Chairman of the hospital’s board, Hugh Perry, thanked the Chase Fund for the “generous contribution”, stating that this new equipment will enhance patient care.

—Everard Owen