VERNON, B.C. – It’s a state of the art medical diagnostic tool that’s been in many B.C. hospitals for decades. But up until now, Vernon residents have had to travel to Kelowna to get an MRI.
Now the B.C. government has announced its finally buying Vernon Jubilee Hospital its own machine.
The $5 million MRI is one of four announced for hospitals province wide Thursday. Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge is also receiving its first MRI machine.
“Despite significantly increasing the number of surgeries and MRIs being done each year, we are struggling to keep pace with the growing demand,” Health Minister Terry Lake said.
Lake also announced $25 million to increase surgical capacity across the province in 2017.
The Province expects health authorities will use the funds to reduce surgery wait lists.
And while Thursday’s press release said the Province had already approved a mew MRI for Penticton, it failed to mention a long-time local businessman donated $3 million to make it happen.
Dave Kampe, owner of Peters Bros Construction, made the donation in April, 2016.
Penticton’s MRI will be added in 2019 when the expansion is complete.
MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed pictures of the body’s organs and structures.
MRIs are used to diagnose a number of medical conditions, including abnormalities of the brain, as well as tumours, cysts and soft-tissue injuries in other parts of the body.
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