Three mobile BenQ ultrasound machines purchased by the Rotary Club of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be used to facilitate breast cancer screenings for thousands of Vincentians from the comfort of their homes.
The mobile units were presented to Chief Health Promotion Officer Shanika John of the Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment by the Project lead representing the Rotary Club Janelle Allen and Republic of China, Taiwan Ambassador to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Peter Sha Li Lan representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan on Monday.
At the handing over ceremony, Ambassador Sha-Li Lan confirmed the Taiwanese Government’s commitment to supporting the advancement of health promotion and disease prevention initiatives in SVG.
Radiographers Celeste Cumberbatch and Genese Nichols will participate in a two-month training programme on ultrasonography techniques and the use of the mobile ultrasound equipment at the MacKay Memorial Hospital, in Taiwan.
Upon their return to St. Vincent and the Grenadines they will be equipped with the competencies to use the equipment for screening purposes.
Taiwanese medical professionals will visit SVG during the 2023-2024 Rotary year to observe the trainees in action and facilitate additional training with other health care professionals in this field.
This training component was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan, at US$40,000.00.
Community awareness campaign activities are scheduled to continue throughout the month of June through to July 2024.
Rotary Club of St. Vincent’s President Elect Mikasha Ramsaran, in addressing the gathering, reiterated the Club’s gratitude to the Rotary family in Taiwan, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan, for their overwhelming support in ensuring that this project received the funding required to meet its objectives of enhancing the lives of Vincentian women and girls through access to free breast screening and breast health education services.
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Centered on one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus – Disease Prevention and Treatment, this is the first Global Grant funded project to be accessed by the Rotary Club of St. Vincent and is valued at approximately US$223,183.00, through contributions from Rotary Clubs across twelve Districts in Taiwan, Rotary International, and the Government of Taiwan.
For the past eight months, the Rotary Club of St. Vincent has been actively educating the public and raising awareness on breast health matters and the importance of regular screening throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines as part of its Global Grant-funded Breast Cancer Awareness Project (GG2237589); a partnership which was birthed in 2021 in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, and the Rotary Club of Taipei Prosperity, in Taiwan. Since the official launch in November 2022.
Photo credit: SVG Health
