FREDERICTON
– The Liberal opposition is demanding the Minister of Health tell New
Brunswickers why a new PET scanner being installed at the Georges L.
Dumont hospital is being delayed due to damages to the equipment.
Moncton
East MLA Chris Collins (photo, left) learned yesterday that the multi-million dollar
piece of equipment sustained damages during the installation process,
setting the project behind by more than seven weeks. Collins said the
Minister of Health needs to provide some answers.
“Patients were expecting for this scanner to be up and running by April 1st
– they were even scheduled for appointments. A month later and the
Minister hasn’t even told the public what happened to cause damage to
this brand-new machine and what repairs are needed. I find this
situation – and the Minister’s silence on this issue - completely
unacceptable.”
Opposition
Liberal health advocate Bill Fraser (photo, right) called on the minister to show
leadership on the file. “She’ll show up to cut ribbons and get her photo
in the paper, but when something goes wrong she runs and hides,” Fraser
said.
In
addition, Collins is concerned to what extent the PET/CT scanner will
be repaired, and whether there are any health or safety concerns with
using or repairing the machine, which uses nuclear medical isotopes.
“PET/CT
scanners use nuclear medical isotopes – the Minister needs to assure
the public that the damages sustained doesn’t put the people repairing
or using the machine at risk.”
Patients
scheduled for PET/CT scans at the Dumont have been transferred to Saint
John while repairs to the machine take place. Collins says this adds an
additional hardship for people who now have to travel for this service.
Collins
says that the Minister needs to address whether the Minister is asking
the insurance company, manufacturer or contractors to pay for a new
machine to replace the damaged one.
