The City of Melfort has a new CT Scanner coming to their hospital.

The new scanner is part of a $2.25-million project that includes the medical imaging department renovation and operational costs.

Rural and Remote Health Minister Warren Kaeding says this was a major need for Saskatchewan’s northeast.

“Diagnostic equipment is very important and part of our health care offering, and this is an area that certainly has its high needs,” Kaeding said. “People are traveling great distances, and anything that we can do to improve the quality of life for our residents I think is very important to us.”

Kaeding says people in the area have been patient, knowing this was coming.

“As you can expect with just under a $6-billion budget within health that there is a lot of needs and a lot of asks all over the province,” Kaeding said. “(We’ll) just slowly go through that process of just fulfilling all of those needs.

“We’re very thankful that we’re able to get to that point where we’re able to provide Melfort and area with that CT Scanner.”

Kaeding explains why it took so long for the CT Scanner to get built in Melfort.

“It takes us a while to slowly get through that list of needs and get to those priorities,” Kaeding said. “The CT Scanner was always a priority, but there was always another priority that was a little bigger somewhere else, and I’m just very glad that we’re able to get to that point.”

Up to 3,900 people will be able to receive scans in a year with this new CT Scanner. It is aimed to be ready for use by early 2021.