Sando hospital gets $4M equipment

Citing the astronomical cost of the equipment which will be used to shatter kidney stones without the patient undergoing surgery, Rahael said the ministry would hold RHAs responsible for the implementation of a number of these services at hospitals.

The RHAs are to ensure that hospitals are also well-equipped and properly staffed, Rahael said.

The minister said the infrastructural work at the hospitals and health care centres was “taking too long.” The ministry will be considering methods, he warned, of expediting the works. He also announced that Government plans to make the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex the tertiary health centre of the Caribbean with all areas of tertiary health care taught at the hospital.

Rahael revealed that the San Fernando hospital’s state-of-the-art kidney stone treatment centre, includes a flexible urethroscopy and laser treatment systems. In commissioning the use of the equipment, he said the level of patient treatment for kidney stones has ushered the urology department to the realm of being equipped with a national stone centre.

The centre is equipped to handle one case per hour. Head of the urology department Dr Lester Goetz was pleased the patient waiting list would be drastically reduced.