Service contract signed to maintain new lab equipment

by Linda Straker

• Multi-year equipment service contract has been signed
• Recent equipment purchase covers laboratory and other departments
• Laboratory is in the new building at the General Hospital

A multi-year service contract has been signed with the supplier of recently procured equipment to ensure that all equipment purchased by the Ministry of Health for the new laboratory continues to function at the manufacturers’ quality and standards.

“All of our equipment has come with a service contract. We have realised over the years that this was one of our weaknesses, that we were purchasing equipment and we had no routine servicing of them, so we have learned, and all of our equipment we have purchased going forward that needs to be serviced, there will be a service contract,” said Hannah St Paul, Permanent Secretary responsible for Hospital Services.

Besides the service contract, the Ministry has employed a team to service other equipment. “We have our own biomedical team on compound that services our equipment from time to time and whatever they cannot do or is not within their capability, we source expert help.” St Paul explained the recent purchase covers new equipment for the laboratory and other departments such as the ICU (Intensive Care Unit), Ophthalmology and the operating theatre.

“The Ophthalmology Unit, they improved significantly. They benefitted from some of the new equipment that was procured,” said Medical Director at the General Hospital Dr Tyhiesia Donald. 

The laboratory is in the new building at the General Hospital. The new laboratory is already being used for some services and is set to be commissioned in the coming weeks. The Government constructed the building with assistance from friendly governments, including Venezuela, and other donor agencies.