Niagara has the second busiest emergency program in all of Ontario, says Niagara Health Foundation president and chief executive officer Roger Ali.

Ali and foundation member Mike Grocholsky appeared at Welland city council's committee meeting Tuesday night to provide an update.

In a region with a population of 450,000, 200,000 visits were made to Niagara Health hospitals last year for emergency care - 30,000 of those visits made to Welland hospital.

"It gives you some context of how busy we are."

The Welland ophthalmology program tended to 5,300 eye surgeries, Ali said.

With 4,800 employees and 600 physicians, the health system registers 40,000 surgeries and 3,000 births annually.

Ali said 370,000 medical imaging exams are also performed each year.

He thanked Welland council for its pledge to support medical imaging in the city and said as recently as two to three years ago there wasn't full imaging at all of the health system's sites.

"There were 35,000 X-rays in the last year at the Welland site . it gives you a sense of the importance of your investment."

The city has contributed nearly $1.87 million since 1983 for various equipment, including an X-ray machine in 2016 and in support of the mammography unit.

Ali said the foundation focuses on raising funds for medical equipment, including beds, IV poles and more as the provincial government does not fund equipment purchases.

"This year our focus is on raising funds for defibrillators for all of our hospital sites. They all have to be replaced and cost $25,000 each," Ali said.

Grocholsky said donations have made a considerable impact in the care Wellanders receive as six new anesthesia machines were purchased for the local hospital.

He said funds have also been raised for bladder scanners, cardiac echocardiogram machines and more.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The city, he said, has long supported an annual elimination draw, as well. This year's draw, called Break the Bank, is Jan. 30 at Croatian National Home on Broadway.

Grocholsky said there are other fundraisers this year people can take part in, including an annual gala, Kids Ultimate Challenge and Big Move Cancer Ride.