THE handing over and commissioning of three new state-of-the-art X-ray units at Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) — the island’s major trauma centre which conducts some 3,000 X-rays monthly — will, according to hospital officials, eliminate the outsourcing of diagnostic and assessment services and significantly reduce patient waiting times.

The machines, which were delivered under an arrangement between the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) and Arel Limited at a cost of just over $453 million, are good news for patients who enter the hospital with conditions that require scans.

They have also been delivered with a maintenance and repair policy which should reduce the occurrence of mechanical failures and breakdowns.

Dr Natalie Whylie, acting chief executive officer of Kingston Public and Victoria Jubilee hospitals, speaking at the handing over ceremony on Tuesday, said the introduction of the machines is a leap forward in the services offered by the facilities.

“If you multiply a hundred by 365 days for the year, it gives you an idea of just how much work is being done here because the services here at KPH and Victoria Jubilee are not just for inpatients and outpatients but we also provide diagnostic X-ray facilities to patients in the outpatient clinics of [SERHA],” Whylie said.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer following the ceremony, Whylie said, “These machines will, for the most part, look at bone and soft tissue structures [and will be used in diagnostic services] for trauma or, for example, if you have a chest infection, sinus infection.

“It improves our ability to diagnose and is more efficient because the technology we had before used chemicals to process film. This is state-of-the-art so we will be able to more efficiently diagnose and treat our patients.”

Regional director for SERHA, Errol Greene, said there has been a “vast improvement since the machines came on stream”.

“We have been limping along for many years and the ministry was good enough to have given us the money to buy these machines. They are now in place after a little wait and you can see the vast improvement made since these three machines have come on stream,” Greene stated.

Delivering the main address at Tuesday’s function, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton pointed out that in the case of KPH, which he described as the trauma centre of Jamaica and the Caribbean, it is impatient of debate that the institution needs to have all the necessary diagnostic support.

“Today is a happy occasion, but it probably should not be an occasion but routine. We shouldn’t celebrate so much the acquisition of essential equipment because an institution should have essential pieces of equipment, and that kind of frank conversation is required.

“Our hospitals need to be equipped to deal with the challenges of the times, and our health centres need to be equipped to deal with the challenges of the times,” said Tufton.

He pointed out that the Government is moving away from purchasing machinery alone to include leasing arrangements because of the challenges associated with purchasing and servicing the equipment.

“That hopefully will bring some stability so that gone will be the days when a machine breaks down…because of lack of servicing, power surges, or because it is so old and outdated,” Tufton noted.

The health minister added that he has been canvassing tertiary institutions in the island to encourage the training of health professionals outside of doctors and nurses.

“Part of the problem is ensuring that we have the skill set at all levels…health care is not just about doctors, nurses, and hospitals…but we are moving in a direction towards modernisation that is going to make the health technologists who have experiences in digital health records and managing a database as important as the doctor, because without that knowledge the doctors are hamstrung,” said Tufton.

“This is why we are giving $500 million a year in scholarships. I am saying to the universities, step up to the plate, these are our needs, not just doctors and nurses, the health technologists, the engineers to fix the machines. We will give scholarships to train these people as long as they come back and work in the system. If you don’t have those courses, find a way to develop them,” added Tufton.