The country's largest hospital, the KHMH, is the owner of the first ever state of the art mobile Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory that will make treatment of cardiovascular disorders more affordable for patients. While the "Cath Lab" is here primarily to treat patients with different cardiovascular disorders it will also attract international medical experts who will regularly perform and train Belizean doctors and nurses in advanced procedures.
Now most of us don't know what a Cath Lab is or what it can do, and that's why Andrea Polanco found out more at the opening today:…
Andrea Polanco Reporting
The "Cath Lab" will allow specialist doctors to diagnose and perform many lifesaving procedures in both adults and children that were previously unavailable in Belize.
Dr. Ricardo Fabro: Chairman -KHMH
"This Cardiovascular diagnostic unit will make possible procedures, which will provide sophisticated diagnoses and treatment of diseases of the heart and circulation in a way that has never been done in Belize, and also at a more affordable cost. No longer will our people need to travel abroad and pay sums of monies to have these procedures done since they will know have these facilities are easily available to them, here at KHMH, this is something we can all be very proud of. Cardiovascular diagnosis services at KHMH will provide the following, it will be a backup for the radiology, fluoroscopy suite, a backup for the ultrasound suite, a backup for the transuranic echocardiography, cardiac pacemaker insertion venues access and as a dialysis support service."
While the Cath Lab Unit will be able to save lives, it will also help to pave the way for future transformation and progress in the medical field in Belize.
Dr. Bernard Bulwer: Director of Medical Services- KHMH
"In the corner of the hospital there is a group that is a part of Gift of Life international and they are diagnosing children right now as I speak who have holes in their hearts. What has happened historically is that they would come down twice a year and they would diagnose and then they would try to find a way to treat these children. The next time the group comes down six months from now, they will not just come down to diagnose, but hopefully by that time we will be able to treat, not one, not two, but a group of young children who could be treated at home, and that's just part of the beginning. I believe this is a major step forward for this institution. This Lab that you see here is called a Cath Lab but it's not an experiment, it is a proven technology that will service as a magnet for things that have never been done before in the history of medicine in this country."
Professor Francis Robiscek says that they will continue to give their support in other areas to realize the full potential of the facility.
Prof. Francis Robiscek, MD Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute
"After you have diagnosed the children or the adults the next question will come up is what are you going to do with it, it's something, a process which you cannot stop and the next step will be Cardio Thoracic Surgery and the next step and the next step, we don't plan to terminate our connection by leaving this big box behind, we offer continued friendship continued collegial cooperation, training of technicians, we hope your doctors will come and visit us, we are ready to come back and give them a helping hand whenever they need us, I am sure the Bowen family the Bissell family and all of us in Charlotte will be at your disposal."
The mobile "Cath Lab" which was donated by the Cardiovascular Diagnostic Unit at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in honour of Margaret G. Bissell is estimated at 1.2 million U.S dollars. Installation and shipping was made possible by the Bowen Family in Honour of Sir Barry Bowen, Carolinas HealthCare System, Heineman Foundation and Hyde Shipping Corporation.
Email
Print