In November 2022, St Helena was earmarked to receive funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Improving Essential Equipment in Overseas Territories Programme for 2022/2023. The island was allocated up to £1,800,000 for acquiring critical equipment across several sectors including healthcare, emergency services, port operations, road maintenance, and airport operations.
The Health and Social Care Portfolio received a total of £797,159.48 from this allocation. This amount was utilized to procure various medical tools such as cardiac equipment, biochemistry analyser, haematology analyser, haemoglobin A1c analyser, FibroScan 530 Compact and M probe, immunoassay analyser, blood culture analyser, CT scanner (including servicing contract), and portable ultrasound machine. These installations are expected to enhance on-island illness management and minimize off-island referrals by improving assessment turnaround times and patient care delivery.
An expenditure of £138,600.74 went towards acquiring a cardiac stress test system along with electrocardiogram (ECG) machines and Heartstart Intrepid Defibrillators aimed at early heart disease detection and emergency lifesaving interventions.
A sum of £53,512.13 was used for purchasing a biochemistry analyser alongside a haematology analyser. These upgrades replaced outdated equipment nearing the end of their functional lifespan.
For diagnosing and monitoring diabetes patients amidst rising demand for tests on the island, a Hemoglobin A1C analyser costing £27,429.40 was procured to replace an older model.
£82,089.96 facilitated the acquisition of a FibroScan 530 Compact with an M probe to assist health staff in detecting liver disease—an element crucial to the Health Directorate’s strategy against obesity-related conditions.
The immunoassay analyser purchased for £46,751.30 will expand testing capabilities locally while reducing overseas test dependencies; thereby optimizing result turnaround times and costs.
To detect sepsis early on in patients—a task previously requiring up to 72 hours manually—a blood culture analyser worth £24,909.88 has been installed that delivers results within 10-12 hours post-onset.
A substantial investment of £423,866.07 secured both a CT scanner capable of advanced imaging tasks like coronary artery assessments and bone mineral density scans due its sophisticated features including artefact reduction technology; plus portable ultrasound equipment enhancing point-of-care diagnostics efficiency through mobility advantages during patient assessments or emergencies.
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