KINGSTON, Jamaica. Wednesday, May 22, 2024: Three (3) new state-of-the art digital x-
ray machines are now installed at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) to expand its diagnostic
services. These new devices will increase staff productivity, reduce patient wait times, and
eliminate the outsourcing of diagnostics and assessment. This will also allow real-time uploading and transmission of imaging for better service with over 3000 images per month. The Bustamante Hospital for Children, National Chest Hospital, and Spanish Town Hospital are also to receive digital X-ray machines for patients who enter these hospitals with conditions that require scans.
The investment made by SERHA for the six machines is approximately J$500 million.
Delivering the main address at the official commissioning ceremony for the machines on
Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton,
said that modernisation is not transformation. “The fact that we are modernising, purchasing new equipment, upgrading our infrastructure, and employing more medical staff does not mean that the patient experience is improving". He further explained that the management of the hospital must ensure that all equipment is serviced on time to prevent a breakdown in patient delivery. “Transformation will mean that the equipment should be serviced routinely,” he added.
Minister Tufton also noted that “if we are not prepared to be trained for in-house routine
maintenance and servicing of the equipment, including parts and supplies, then it will not give us the delivery that we need, and that is going to be a new dispensation of the standard part of the culture, which is why we have the service level agreement, and which is why we are giving JA$500 million a year in scholarships for training.” Minister Tufton further explained that he met with the major tertiary institutions, to encourage them to provide training for health professionals outside of doctors and nurses and to include biotech engineers and technologists to fix these machines. “We want to create a functioning institution that gives doctors, nurses, and other staff members a good place to work so that they can deliver quality care to their patients,” Minister Tufton said.
In his remarks at the commissioning ceremony, Mr. Errol Greene, Regional Director, SERHA,
said that a 5-year service contract was put in place for the maintenance of these x-ray machines. The acquisition of these machines was driven by the recognition of an urgent need within our hospitals. With the growing number of patients requiring diagnostics services, it became imperative that we upgrade our facilities to meet this demand, and we are grateful to the Ministry of Health and Wellness for these machines.
Comentários