Cormorant Island has a brand new x-ray machine.
“Our machine broke and has been unusable since October, so there was a real fear we were going to lose this service altogether,” said Cormorant Island Community Health Centre technician Jordan Altmiks. “Thanks to support from the Namgis and Alert Bay Mayor Michael Berry, we were ensured we weren’t losing this service. We now have the same equipment Port McNeill and Port Hardy has. Geographically, we needed this.”
Namgis Chief Debra Hanuse said Cormorant Island has “an aging population and it was very important we have this type of x-ray equipment and lab facilities. It imposes less hardship on our elders and preserves our quality of life on this beautiful island.”
General Radiography uses x-rays to produce detailed images of the inside of the body. The x-ray machine generates the x-rays which penetrate through the body to produce an image. It employs medical photography in which a snapshot is made of the specified body part. During the exam, the patient is positioned so that the part of the body being imaged is located between the receptor and the x-ray tube. Common X-ray procedures include imaging of extremities (hand, foot) and the chest. Although best for bones, x-rays can see many soft tissue structures.
Cormorant Island is an island in Queen Charlotte Strait on the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada. It has a total land area of about 4 square km and is located south of Malcolm Island and east of Port McNeill.
Approximately 1,500 people live on the island.