Last March the fully modernised Radiology Department at the Gozo General Hospital, was officially inaugurated by the Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono.

The Minister recently made a brief visit to the Department where she met with some of the staff, as well as officials from the hospital administration. The Minister visited the five units Radiolgy Department, which are:

Unit 1 – The Skeletal Digital X-ray unit offers a service for basic radiographic images.

Unit 2 – The Digital Radiography/Fluoroscopy Unit is used to take basic plain radiographic images as well as for special investigations.

Unit 3 – The Ultrasound unit with colour Doppler is of the 3-Dimensional type having 4-Dimensional facilities with colour image display. This will considerably increase the number of applications offered by this Unit.

Unit 4 – The Direct Digital Mammography Unit gives the Gozo General Hospital the possibility to provide a much needed health service. Previously there were no facilities for Mammography studies in Gozo and patients had to be referred to Mater Dei Hospital in Malta. The Mammography unit procured within this project is of the Fully Digital type. This offers optimum facility to undertake breast studies with a high level of accuracy. Moreover it has also enabled the Gozo General Hospital to join in the National Breast Screening Programme thus facilitating the participation of Gozitan women in this programme.

Unit 5 – The Spiral CT Scan 64-slice also greatly enhances the services that can now be provided in Gozo. As in the case of mammography services, the Gozo General Hospital previously had no facility for CT Scanning. The 64-slice CT Scanner represents an example of the latest technology in this area.. The digital features include more detailed, very high resolution three-dimensional images that allow for various investigations through a single test. The Spiral CT Scanner can also be used in investigations related to many other areas amongst which angiography, virtual colonoscopy which is an non-invasive procedure, as well as cardiac angiography. It is also highly efficient in treating trauma patients.The results from this device are accessible from Mater Dei Hospital by an electronic system which allows access to information from the respective hospitals.

The Minister said that, “as expected the enhanced facilities in the department resulted in efficient services provided by modern digital equipment, in new and pleasant surroundings. This efficiency was especially reflected in the 650 CT scans which were performed between January and July. This number included Gozitan patients who had been waiting to undergo a CT Scan at Mater Dei. It will also help to reduce pressure on Mater Dei Hospital as well as saving the costs related with the transportation of patients from Gozo to Malta and back.”

Gozitan women are now participating in the National Breast Screening Programme through the new Mammography Unit and so far the response has been higher in Gozo than the national average. In addition this section was also used in cases of symptomatic tests.

The Minister for Gozo thanked the staff for their cooperation and especially for the commitment they had shown, which included attending training sessions over a number of weeks at Mater Dei Hospital.

The Minister concluded by saying that “the Ministry plans to continue with further restructure plans in other parts of the hospital, without affecting the normal daily routine. A Study is also underway to determine the feasibility of installing a system of renewable energy to fulfill the requirements of the hospital.”

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