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About 100 patients seeking services that require a CT Scanning Machine at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) are being referred to private hospitals every week, a development seen as a health risk as a majority patients cannot afford the alternative service.
Spokesperson for the hospital, Chiyanjano Kazombo, says the ICT scan machine needs a high voltage spare part and full service.
Kazombo says on a daily basis, the hospital has been sending back about 20 patients in need of the scan.
“The CT Scan machine has been down since August 2018. On average, about 65 patients use the Ultra Sound machine. Some of these are those that need an ICT scan which they are not getting. The Ultra sound machine is an alternative that helps surgeons pin point the problem which needs the CT scan. So patients in need of the scan are being referred to private hospitals for assistance.
“The main problem is that the CT scan machine needs a high voltage spare part and full service because it keeps overheating,” says Kazombo.
The Computerized Tomography Scanning machine-also known as a CT scan-is used to image the human brain for traces of tumors, detects stroke and abnormal abdominal masses in the liver and kidneys, among other things.
Msatero Nkhata from Mchinji is father to his 22-year-old son Gilbert who is admitted to the hospital. Gilbert has to undergo a head scan.
“My son was hit on the head by his relative back in the village. When we went to a clinic there, we were referred to the district hospital where they referred us to Kamuzu Central Hospital. And last Thursday, medical personnel here opted for the Ultra sound since the CT scan is down.
“I was told my son sustained deep injuries and we were referred to a private hospital for assistance where we were told to pay MK110 thousand for the scan. But honestly, I cannot afford to pay that amount,” says Nkhata.
Ministry of Health Spokesperson Joshua Malango says the ministry is aware of the problem and is working on the matter.
“Just to buy the spare part is costing us about MK42 million kwacha before anything. The programming processes have been finalized and we are just waiting to have the spare part in the country. Talking about servicing, we have to talk to our supplier and other colleagues. So anytime soon, the CT scan will be up and running,” says Malango.
