Balaka Hospital operating without X-ray machine
Balaka District Hospital (DHO) has been failing to provide X-ray services to patients close to a year after the machine developed a fault, Nyasa Times can reveal.
A number of patients who recently visited the facility confirmed to have been refereed and traveled a distance of over 30 kilometers to Machinga District Hospital to access such service.
Surprisingly, Balaka District Hospital Spokesperson Mercy Nyirenda denied the reports that the machine has been down since last year when contacted by Nyasa Times on Tuesday 5th February 2019.
“Last year in August, we had a new digital x-ray machine which was installed and while on trial the machine stopped working due to a software crush. It didn’t take long as it was fixed and the machine has been working since then” explained Nyirenda.
However, the Balaka DHO Spokesperson admitted that the machine again stopped working in January and the matter was reported to the supplier.
“We are looking forward to the machine to be fixed as soon as possible” she said.
The X-ray room has since been closed.
An inside source also confided in Nyasa Times that there has been a shortage of staff in the x-ray section.
“There is only one person who was responsible in scanning and working in the x-ray section” said the source.
Observers said the hospital management is lacking seriousness in maintaining the machine an allegation Nyirenda denied.
Sophisticated equipment is only as efficient as the people who operate it. Also it requires a reliable electricity supply as has already been mentioned. Does Malawi have sufficient staff qualified to operate advanced equipment? It certainly doesn’t have a reliable power supply.
Digital x-ray machine, ndimagetsi ozimazima ngati amenewa siingakhale nthawi yaitali ikugwira nchito. The equipment is very sensitive. What precautions were put in place to cater for the power surges that happen in irregular power supply situations like in our case here in Malawi ?
Ife ku Mchinji its now 5 years without X-ray ndiye mukudandaula chaka chimodzi?
Development ya a Muthalika ndi a Nankhumwa imeneyo!
Chibwana chomaendetsa boma ngati estate komanso boma la DPP kuba ndalama mwachibwana