Nevis public to benefit from another Social Security health related gift
A Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) valued at US$40,951.00 and a Dermatome which cost US$53,048.00, were presented to Deputy Premier and Health Minister on Nevis Hon. Hensley Daniel by Deputy Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Minister responsible for Social Security Hon. Sam Condor, at a small but significant handing over ceremony at the Alexandra Hospital’s Conference Room.
In response to the gift, Mr. Daniel thanked the Social Security Board but used the opportunity to remind employers to pay in contributions they collected from employees to Social Security because without those payments the donation would not be possible.
He also urged delinquent persons who had not yet paid up to do so to allow for another gift for the people of Nevis in 2012.
In remarks ahead of the presentation, the Nevis Health Minister said the PAC System would complement the ultra modern X-ray machine already installed at the Hospital and would facilitate even greater quality health care in Nevis.
“It would enable our doctors to store the information for up to five years. Also a doctor in Nevis can relay the information via the internet to a consultant doctor overseas. So that is very revolutionary for us because it sets us on a new page and a new path for health care,” he said.
Mr. Daniel noted that the Ministry of Health worked with partners, since the NIA could not shoulder the burdens of health care on its own and called for assistance from willing partners like Social Security.
“We need some other persons to join us and Social Security has been a very willing partner over the years. I want to pause and record our appreciation to them for their continued engagement with our Ministry of Health here in Nevis.
“Of course Social Security understands that the more people who are healthy and go to work, the more contributions they would have so the relationship is one of symbiosis it goes both ways. We keep people healthy and happy and they go to work and Social security gets their contributions. They store some of it, invest some of it and by age 62 we get some back. So it is an important partnership,” he said.
The Health Minister explained, that the ability of the Alexandra Hospital to provide good health care and easier transfer of medical information locally or worldwide was critical information that patients needed to be aware of.
He said it would ease some stress and strains patients went through as a result of their illnesses and in some cases reduce the costs.
“Our Ministry of Health is better equipped to provide for the needs of the people, better equipped to provide quality care and better equipped to ensure that we have, as it were, better documentation of the illnesses which attend the society,” he said.
“In time and between time we will no longer have to do the X-rays again. So in a way it is a cost saving measure because if you can store the information for five years you don’t have to do it over and over and over again for every doctor you see,” he said.
In conclusion, Mr. Daniel urged Health personnel at the Hospital to care for the equipment, use it wisely and be reminded that the equipment at the health facility was there to help with the care of patients.
He also registered his gratefulness to the Social Security Board and all others who had been partnering with the NIA in the area of health.