The St. Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital Shisong, in Bui Division, Northwest Region, November 18, celebrated its Ruby Jubilee of the diagnostic departments, while the Cardiac Centre equally clocked five years.

The diagnostic departments include the laboratory, X-ray and ultrasound. These departments began in 1974, some 20 years since the hospital kicked off in 1953. Sources say it has a staff of only three. The lab tests were limited to such activities as blood tests, stool and urine.

Today, participants at the anniversary celebration were told, the mother laboratory of the 1970s has since given birth to the school of Health Sciences laboratory, the Treatment Centre for HIV infected and AIDS patients, the Blood Bank, the Cythopathrology, the TB reach lab and four outreach laboratories.

Sr. Jethro Nkenglefac, General Manager of the Cardiac Centre, on behalf of the hospital administration, gave the historical evolution of the department.

“In June 1974, the X-ray department was also created with Sr. Eva Maria as the lone staff who worked for two days a week…. This department has grown both simple and very complicated radiology procedures today at 40,” Sr Nkenglefac explained. She said the echography cum ultrasound unit came in 1996 and declared that, today, the hospital diagnostic service runs in eight different units with the main lab operating 24/7.

Describing the Cardiac Centre as the great grand-daughter of the diagnostic department, Sr Jethro recalled that the Centre was inaugurated by the Health Minister in November 19, 2009.

In what sounded like a self-appraisal, the Cardiac centre GM: “At five, a child in our society should be in the Nursery School, barely able to sing or say a rhyme. The Cardiac Centre is still in the Nursery School, still staggering. However, we are proud to say that within five years, the centre is able to sing and say rhymes loud and clear.”

Statistically speaking, she declared that the centre has registered 26,892 daily consultations, 455 open heart surgeries, 298 diagnostic and interuenhorial Cardiac Catheterisations, 81 bi and mono cameral pace maker implantations and 4,562 mobile consultations around the country. She noted with satisfaction that some of the Cardiac patients are from Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo DR, the Central African Republic and far off Ethiopia.

She paid glowing tribute to all partners who have contributed in making the hospital story a success.

Mgr George Nkuo, Bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo, who celebrated the anniversary mass, said Shisong has become a role model hospital with an exemplary and dedicated staff. He lauded the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis for setting standards that have caused the hospital to stand tall and strong in the medical world.

The Bishop assured patients and would-be patients of the ever-ready and assuring staff, saying the faith dimension in the staff is an added advantage.

Among activities marking the anniversary celebrations was the award of certificates and other items of recognition to some dedicated staff.