Georgetown clinic being upgraded into a smart clinic

THE CLINIC in Georgetown is being upgraded and transformed into a smart clinic.

At present, work is almost completed on the upgraded facility which will soon be open to the general public.

Speaking on NBC radio last Wednesday November 30, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said he wants to have the smart clinic officially opened on Thursday, December 22, 2022; however, if that opening date is not possible, he is looking forward to having the official opening done early in the NewYear.

The smart clinic is situated in Chili Village, Georgetown, on the same compound as the Georgetown Smart Hospital and the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Centre.

Residents in the area are said to be pleased with the investments that the Government is making to develop Georgetown to its full potential.

Chili Village has taken on a new, improved look since the upgrade of the hospital to a smart hospital, the construction of the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Centre (MMDC) and now the upgrade of the clinic, to a smart clinic.

The Prime Minister who is also the Member of Parliament for the area also spoke on Wednesday of plans to have a much needed MRI machine installed in the MMDC at Georgetown.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI is a medical imaging, non-invasive technique used to examine organs, tissues and the skeletal system producing images of the inside of the body that help to diagnose a variety of problems.

The purchase and installation of the machine is expected to cost around EC$10 million.

At present, MRI services are not available in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and persons needing this diagnostic service must travel overseas to have it done.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister explained that the MRI will be installed at the Modern Medical Centre in Georgetown, due to the lack of space at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

He also promised that a second MRI machine will be installed at the Acute Referral Hospital, to be built at Arnos Vale.