Edna’s long-range plans are much more ambitious as she intends the new building to have sufficient space to accommodate what has been a dream of for some time: a Mammography Machine
By: Edna Hospital
Somalilandsun – A ground-breaking ceremony was held in the afternoon of 1st May for construction on a new building that will serve as the radiology unit for Edna Adan University Hospital. The ceremony was attended by Edna and Dr. Graham Forward, founder of Australian Doctors for Africa, among others.
Edna has been thinking about a separate radiology facility for some time now. She decided the time had come when it was discovered that our new x-ray machine, which was delivered earlier this year, could not be set up in the Hospital’s outpatient building. The x-ray machine — believed to be the newest machine in Hargeisa — is currently sitting idle.
The new building was designed by Edna herself, who can now add chief architect to her list of titles. The building will be a concrete block construction (similar to the Hospital itself) and will measure approximately 8 meters by 11 meters. It will fit completely within the Hospital compound; for those familiar with our facility, the new building will be erected along the front wall between Edna Supermarket and the main gate. The entrance will be inside the compound, and improvements will be made so that patients who are not ambulatory may easily be moved from the Hospital to the radiology building by wheelchair or gurney (trolley).
For the time being, the radiology building will be home to the Hospital’s new x-ray machine. Patients requiring x-rays currently are being referred to other facilities – quite a reversal for Edna Hospital http://www.ednahospital.org as we are more accustomed to patients being referred to us. Once the building is completed and the x-ray unit is installed, not only will we be able to provide better services to our patients, but we expect to be a referral center for other patients needing imaging services.
Next Up: Mammography
But of course Edna’s long-range plans are much more ambitious. The building will have sufficient space to accommodate what Edna has been dreaming of for some time: a mammography machine. Worldwide, breast cancer accounts for over 20% of all cancer found in women and is responsible for over 400,000 deaths per year. It is well known that early detection is the key prolonging the life of breast cancer victims. Yet there is not a single mammography machine in Somaliland! That’s right, an entire country with no means of detecting breast cancer in its early stages – almost inconceivable. We look forward to the day in the not-too-distant future when we have the ability to provide this vital service to the women of Somaliland.
The construction of the radiology building is being made possible through a generous donation from Australian Doctors for Africa. ADFA is a Western Australia charity that was founded in 2005 by Dr. Graham Forward, an orthopaedic surgeon from Perth. The organization is active in Somaliland, Ethiopia and Madagascar, and we always look forward to their visits. We encourage you to learn more about Australian Doctors for Africa at www.ausdocafrica.org .
There is no timetable yet for the construction but we expect work will start in earnest towards the end of the rainy season in Hargeisa. Look for news of the grand opening sometime this summer.
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