Kings County Hospital received a $1.9 million infusion from Flatbush Councilmember Mathieu Eugene and the Brooklyn City Council delegation to purchase new radiology, oncology and mammography equipment.
Mathieu, who was joined by City Council Speaker Laurie Cumbo, State Senator Zellnor Myrie, Assemblymember Nick Perry, as well as community members and representatives from various agencies, presented the check during the hospital's annual legislative breakfast on Friday at the T-Building auditorium.
The funding will be used to purchase state of the art radiological equipment including a tomosynthesis 3D mammography unit for the hospital's women health services department, and an O-arm portable surgical imaging machine for the neurosurgery department.
"We are very appreciative of Councilmember Eugene's steadfast commitment to NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County and the community we serve," said Kings County Hospital's CEO Sheldon McLeod. "This funding will allow us to provide all women with access to the latest technologies to detect breast cancer earlier, as well as faster turnaround time and better quality images resulting in better patient outcomes."
The councilmember took the opportunity to thank the hospital and its staff for their work and pledged his continued support in an effort to make quality healthcare a priority.
"Thank you for everything that you're doing for our constituents, and for people across New York City," said Eugene. "These are the people who work very hard to make New York City what it is. Health should be our number one priority for many reasons. There is no quality of life if we do not secure healthcare resources for our constituents."
The new funds come three months after Eugene and the Brooklyn City Council delegation provided Kings County Hospital with $2.1 million to purchase a state-of-the-art robotic system for minimally invasive surgeries.
Following the presentation of the check, the hospital leadership used the annual event to provide the community-at-large with updates on the medical center's overall progress and services provided to the Brooklyn community. As in previous years, the breakfast also offered an opportunity to discuss the federal and state legislative agenda, and its potential impact on the hospital.
Eugene emphasized that local, state and federal governments need to work hand in hand when it comes to securing and providing quality healthcare access for Brooklynites and New Yorkers.
"This is a team effort," said Eugene. "And we want to work with our colleagues in the state and federal government to make sure that Kings County Hospital receives the necessary funding to provide the best quality of healthcare possible."
