Through a video presentation the Ministry of Health of Saint Kitts and Nevis announced the introduction of echocardiography services at the Joseph N. France General Hospital in St. Kitts, expanding its diagnostic capabilities following the recent addition of interventional cardiologist Dr. Angel Oliveira to its medical team.

Director of Health Projects and Strategic Initiatives at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jenson Morton, announced that the hospital began offering the service two weeks after Dr. Oliveira joined the staff.

Echocardiography is a non-invasive ultrasound examination that produces moving images of the heart, allowing physicians to assess its size, structure and function.

Dr. Jenson Morton. The service is currently available for emergency department patients and hospital inpatients that require the test as part of their diagnosis or treatment. The Ministry of Health also plans to expand access to outpatients through referrals from the country’s 11 health centres.