CT scan, X-ray machines for Mpilo

MPILO Central Hospital has received X-ray, ultrasound and CT scan machines from the government to capacitate the referral hospital and improve access to basic medical equipment.

The hospital, like other major referral hospitals in the country, is facing serious financial challenges as Treasury is struggling to meet budget proposals presented by the health institutions to their parent ministry, the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Most of the hospitals are operating below capacity due to equipment and staff shortages.

Health and Child Care Minister David Parirenyatwa, who was at the hospital on Friday last week, said the procurement and allocation of the machines was part of government's efforts to fully equip the country's hospitals, both in urban and rural areas and improve health delivery.

"The government is committed to providing our hospitals with the required medical equipment. Despite the financial challenges the government is facing, we want to be able to service all hospitals, including those in the rural areas, so that our patients receive first class treatment," he said.

"I'm certain that the equipment that has been delivered to Mpilo will go a long way in improving health services to the people in this region."

Parirenyatwa said the government was in the process of working on improving polyclinics throughout the country to have doctors, as well as providing laboratories and X-ray machines to decongest central hospitals like Mpilo which are overwhelmed by huge numbers of patients seeking medical treatment.

He said X-rays for minor conditions such as broken bones should be done at clinics to reduce congestion at hospitals.

Parirenyatwa added that the ministry was also lobbying for the employment of jobless nurses as it moves to mitigate the shortage of health workers in government hospitals. He said the country's hospitals had a deficit of about 8,000 nurses.

Dr Solwayo Ngwenya, the hospital's clinical director, yesterday said they were in the process of renovating the X-ray centre, in preparation for the installation of the new machines which have been delivered to the health institution.

He said the modern machines will improve service delivery at the hospital.

Said Dr Ngwenya: "We received X-ray, ultrasound and CT scan machines from the Ministry of Health and Child Care. We appreciate the move by the ministry because these machines are important health tools that promote effective health service delivery.

"We're busy renovating the X-ray department and I'm sure in the next few months we'll be commissioning the new machines. They'll go a long way in reducing the number of patients that have to be referred to other health centres for X-rays. The machines will help patients get their test results faster."

He said most of the machines used at the hospital were obsolete and constantly break down.

A computerised tomography (CT scan) uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of the body. CT scans can produce detailed images of many structures inside the body, including the internal organs, blood vessels and bones, allowing radiographers to diagnose conditions such as damage to bones, injuries to internal organs, problems with blood flow, strokes and cancer.