Scanner joins the COVID-19 fight at QEH

Visitation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) could soon be increased now that a new thermal imaging scanner has been installed.

That is according to Minister of Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, who today thanked Sagicor Life Inc for donating the important piece of equipment to the state-run hospital.

“The donation to this hospital will go a long way towards the re-opening of the hospital to visitors and for us to be able to control and contain any eventuality that amounts from the re-opening. The importance of the donation cannot be underscored,” the minister said.

Additionally, Sagicor also donated two thermal imaging scanners to the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA).

The three scanners cost approximately $300,000.

Bostic said this was especially timely with the country expecting commercial flights to resume from next month.

He maintained that the scanners were critical in the fight against COVID-19.

“When we first started, initially, we did not have any handheld scanners at ports of entry, far less at the hospitals. We were able to secure some within the first month or so, but even that process was a bit tedious and especially at the Bridgetown Port and GAIA…

“So when Sagicor came up with this idea of donating the thermal scanners that really meant something significant for us in this fight because it obviously would have facilitated this process. This is timely because even back then even when we recognized the importance of having the thermal scanners, that importance has increased significantly and exponentially since those days because we are now at the stage of re-opening our country to receiving international flights and obviously visitors to our shores,” Bostic pointed out.

Executive vice-president and general manager (designate) of Sagicor Life Inc Paul Inniss said the donation would significantly help identify possible cases of COVID-19.

“These full body scanners will assist with identifying potential carriers of the virus as they enter our nation’s primary medical facility and with the planned re-opening of the island’s borders the threat of COVID-19 is ever present. We are certain that they will be an asset to our medical teams at the airport as well,” he said.

Inniss said Sagicor had also partnered with the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness, the Welfare Department and the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, in formulating initiatives to help the less fortunate.

He disclosed that Sagicor had also given assistance to neighbouring territories including Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Belize, Aruba and Curacao.