Minister for Health Chris Fearne this morning launched a new angio suite at the Medical Imaging Department in Mater Dei Hospital.

The new suite came with a €1.9 million investment, 60% of which were funded by the European Union. In a press conference held this morning, the Minister explained that more than 600 interventions are carried out at the Medical Imaging Department every single day. That amounts to some 250,000 interventions each year.

The aim of the new angio suite is to provide better imaging during interventions and testing. It can be used on all organs, including the liver, arteries and the brain. The latest technology used by this new machine will allow cardiologists to view arteries and other vital organs in a three dimensional view. Equipped with a huge monitor, the angio suite will also be able to provide a detailed view during interventions.

The monitor provides imaging in high resolution; however it also emits lower radiation. Minister Fearne explained that before this new angio suite, patients had to be sent abroad to undergo such intervention.

15 patients each day are expected to benefit from this new suite each day.

Some four weeks ago, the government had already launched a new CT scan with an investment of €1.5 million. Over the recent years, more than €4 million were invested in this department.

The Minister also announced that the government launched a call for three new consultants to work at this department.