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Balwant Singh Hospital introduces state-of-the-art lab equipment
By Desilon Daniels
With the ultimate goal of raising the bar of the healthcare system in Guyana, the Balwant Singh Hospital yesterday introduced state of the art equipment into its laboratory, the first of their kind in Guyana and the Caribbean.
Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton cuts the ceremonial ribbon on one of the new equipment with the assistance of Balwant Singh’s Hospital Administrator Dr. Madhu Singh
But even while there was another achievement by the private institution, Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton, said that the standard of accomplishments seen at the private level must be replicated in the public health care system.
Minister Norton’s comments came during brief remarks made before he cut the ceremonial ribbons on the two machines.
With him was Balwant Singh Hospital Administrator, Dr. Madhu Singh, who explained that the introduction of the “state of the art” equipment was part of the laboratory expansion.
According to her, the machines are two advanced lab analysers, manufactured by Roche Diagnostics Ltd. of Switzerland. The machines, she said, are the COBAS c 311 Analyzer – which are used for biochemistry tests – and the COBAS e 411 Immunology Analyzer, used for hormone assays and infectious disease markers.
She added that the first machine is the only one of its kind to be installed in Guyana while the latter is the first such machine to be installed in the entire Caribbean.
“These analyzers are capable of giving very rapid and reliable results. As we know, in making a diagnosis and commencing treatment, time is of the essence but so is reliability,” Dr. Singh said.
She added that the hospital is looking to raising the bar for laboratories in Guyana. She said, too, that previously, a lot of the tests provided by the hospital were forced to be sourced overseas at great cost.
“Therefore, we look forward to easing the burdens of the Guyanese patients by providing the results at much less costs and in a shorter time.”
For Minister Norton, the latest achievement by the private hospital was indeed a commendable one. He noted that quality healthcare in Guyana is always expensive, even when systems are put in place by countries to adapt to fit its economy.
“In one way or the other, lots of money and a large part of the national budget of any country would be dedicated to healthcare,” Dr. Norton said before adding, “These equipment cost quite a lot of money but we know with quality comes expense… The Balwant Singh Hospital has shown us that they are moving always from one level to a higher level and the services we might not have had access to in the country before are available here.”
However, he said, while the achievement marked another success for the private healthcare system, there was much work that needed to be done in the public system. He said that unless the public system moves in the same direction as private hospitals “many facilities might only be available at the private level.”
Nonetheless, he said, his ministry is working towards certain goals and is looking towards reaching an international level. To do so, he added, all that is possible must be done to make certain tests available to the public.
Dr. Norton, Dr. Singh and other hospital officials made their way to the laboratory where the machines are being housed. There, the Minister grilled a hospital employee on the machines, its maintenance and the qualifications of the lab personnel to deal with the new equipment.
According to Dr. Singh, four laboratory staff had undergone two weeks training by a Roche employee. The other lab personnel, who number about eight, will receive training from their co-workers shortly. The Roche representative explained that the training sessions had been very successful. She too expressed pride at the European’s company instalment of its 400 series equipment in the Caribbean.
Additionally, Dr. Singh indicated that the hospital had been interesting in acquiring the machines in excess of a year. Special conditions, including the installation of a new water filtration system, were also put in place to ensure that the equipment work at maximum capacity.
Meanwhile, services provided as a result of the new equipment will be provided to the public at much lower prices and at much faster rates. Furthermore, the equipment will aid the hospital in identifying a number of diseases including HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
The purchase of the two machines reportedly cost about US$190,000.
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