Gibraltar Health Authority Receives Donation for Laser Equipment

The Gibraltar League of Hospital Friends is making a donation of £13,000 which will be used to part fund the cost of the Visulas Yag III Laser manufactured by Carl Zeiss for the Ophthalmology Department of the GHA.

The Yag Laser is a machine used by the Consultant Ophthamologist in St Bernard’s Hospital for post-cataract therapy and to treat acute glaucoma.
It is a state of the art replacement for an earlier version of the machine that was purchased by the GHA 20 years previously.

Post cataract therapy involves the treatment of a complication of cataract which can lead to cloudy vision following surgery. This is a common occurrence with patients who have undergone surgery. It is a pain free restoration of vision which takes a very short time to complete.
Acute glaucoma is a vision threatening condition in which there is an increase in the pressure within the eye. The laser is used to surgically decompress the pressure.

The Gibraltar League of Hospital Friends is a Charitable Organisation which raises money to provide extra support for patients in St Bernard’s Hospital, KGV Hospital and the Primary Care Centre. Their aim is to make patients’ stay in hospital as comfortable as possible.

The Gibraltar League of Hospital Friends has an active and very hardworking committee of about 20 ladies. Their President is H. E. Sir Robert Fulton.
Each lady is responsible for a particular ward or facility. They liaise with Sister in charge for any items that may be needed. After approval from the committee, these items are bought and taken where needed. They have a membership of over 250 who pay an annual subscription. Their hospital representative is Clinical Nurse Manager, Ms F Catania who guides them in any requests or problems that they may have.


Minister Del Agua on receiving the donation said “I am very appreciative of all of the activities of the League whose Members provide excellent support to the GHA in so many areas, including KGV, St Bernard’s and the Primary Care Centre and I thank them for their very generous donation”.


Mr Mohammed Haroon, GHA’s Consultant Opthalmologist said “I am deeply grateful to the League for their timely and wonderful donation that has accelerated the acquisition of this vital piece of equipment for the Eye Clinic”.
Mr Trevor Galliano Charge Nurse in the Eye Department added “We are proud to work in an excellent and expanding department.”
Mrs Marilyn Azopardi, President and Mrs Susie Kirby, Treasurer of the League of Hospital Friends presented the cheque.
The Hon Yvette Del Agua, Minister for Health and Civil Protection, Dr David McCutcheon, Chief Executive and Mr Trevor Galliano, Charge Nurse, Ophthalmics Department were present.

Download the PDF Brochure Here:

yagiii_combi_en.pdf

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Rainbow Ward of St Bernard’s Hospital has received donations totalling £6,465 with which it has acquired a special machine to measure the level of stomach acid in children.

The donations were made by Research into Childhood Cancer Charity, Verrals Barristers & Solicitors, Attias & Levy Barristers & Solicitors and the staff of Rainbow Ward. Verrals made the donation of £500 in lieu of sending Christmas cards to their clients last year. Rainbow Ward staff donated the £500 that they received from Attias & Levy when they won the 2007 GHA Department of the Year Award. RICC donated over £5,000 from funds raised by their charity.

The Minister for Health and Civil Contingency and Chairwoman of the GHA Board, Yvette Del Agua, who received the equipment on behalf of the GHA, said: “although there is general concensus within the GHA that the new St Bernard’s Hospital is equipped to a very high standard, the GHA always welcomes and is grateful for donations from the community which can assist us in improving even further the standard and extent of services that we provide to patients. In this particular case, the staff of Rainbow Ward itself has played an important part”.

The monitoring of the level of stomach acid in children is very important in diagnosing and effectively treating diseases which in the long-term can be associated with serious complications in adult life. This type of equipment allows the monitoring to be done on an outpatient basis, avoiding the need for hospitalisation.

Dr Danny Cassaglia, Consultant Paediatrician, who has been the advocate for the purchase of the equipment, said: “I now have yet another diagnostic tool at my disposal which saves me having to refer my patients to Spain or the UK for testing. What’s more, I can also monitor my patients’ progress better”.

Sister Mary Sene said: “this is a wonderful addition to the GHA. The equipment is easy to use and it is great for the kids because we can do the test here and they know and trust us. Staff are also proud of their donation to this cause”.

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