The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has distributed 48 vein-finding devices along with their accessories to the 14 secondary health facilities (SHFs) under the Hospitals Management Board (HMB) to improve healthcare service delivery in the nation’s capital.
The senior special assistant to the FCT minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement he issued yesterday.
He quoted the mandate secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr Dolapo Fasawe, as describing the equipment as critical tools for modern healthcare delivery.
Fasawe said the advanced medical devices were provided through the intervention of the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, to strengthen the capacity of healthcare facilities and improve patient care.
She explained that the vein finders are designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of venous access procedures by helping healthcare professionals easily locate veins for intravenous (IV) cannulation and insertion.
The devices will facilitate blood sample collection through venipuncture, reduce the need for multiple needle attempts, and improve access to veins in patients with difficult venous anatomy, particularly children, elderly persons, and obese patients.
Fasawe noted that the machines would enable healthcare workers to access patients’ veins more quickly and with less discomfort.
“These machines will make it easy to access a patient’s vein in a quick and painless manner. They will also enable newly trained doctors to establish intravenous access without repeated needle pricks, especially in children, thereby making hospital visits less traumatic for patients,” she said.
She added that the devices would assist in assessing superficial vein patterns while contributing significantly to greater clinical accuracy, efficiency, and improved patient outcomes.
As part of the distribution programme, representatives and relevant healthcare personnel from the beneficiary hospitals participated in a practical training session focused on the proper handling, application, operation, and maintenance of the vein finders and their accessories.
The training was designed to ensure optimal utilization of the equipment, promote sustainability, and maximize the benefits to patients across the healthcare facilities.
In addition, an in-house practical training programme was conducted for healthcare personnel to further strengthen their knowledge and capacity in the operation, application, maintenance, and safe handling of the devices.
The initiative is expected to support effective deployment and ensure the long-term sustainability of the equipment in all beneficiary hospitals.
The distribution of the vein-finding devices underscores the commitment of the FCT Administration under Nyesom Wike to equipping healthcare facilities with modern medical technologies aimed at improving service delivery, enhancing patient experience, and supporting healthcare professionals in providing quality healthcare services.
