Healthcare delivery at the New Amsterdam Hospital in Region Six has been enhanced with the installation of a new computerised tomography (CT) scan machine to diagnose a range of medical issues, ranging from injuries to diseases.
The medical imaging device produces detailed, cross-sectional images of the body, often known as slices, using X-rays.
Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony led the commissioning ceremony on Tuesday and disclosed that the hospital urgently needed a CT scanner because the old one was no longer functional.
He explained that before the machine was installed, patients had to travel to the Anamayah Memorial Hospital Laboratory on the Corentyne coast or to Georgetown to have a scan done.
That makes the new 128-slice CT scanner a game-changer for local residents.
According to Dr Anthony, the government opted to purchase a new machine instead of spending $15 million to repair the existing one.
“We can now look at different organs and see what is going on with those specific organs. We can look at what is happening with the heart, vessels, and muscles,” the minister added. “I am sure that the doctors here would utilise it in a more specialised way.”
Over the years, the hospital has benefited from the installation of an updated digital X-ray machine, a mobile unit and a mammography machine to improve healthcare access. Three operating theatres are also available at the health facility.
To advance patient care in the region, Minister Anthony reminded residents at the ceremony that a state-of-the-art hospital will soon become a reality at Number 75 Village.
The hospital’s top floor will have two operating theatres, a minor theatre, a delivery ward, and a 75-bed inpatient facility, while the lower floor will feature a 24-hour Accident and Emergency Unit.
It will also have an imaging suite equipped with a CT scan, digital X-rays, and ultrasound. Residents will also enjoy 24-hour laboratory services.
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