By Emmy Daniel Ojara, Speak FM
The government has through the ministry of health revealed that they have finalized the planning and funding for the installation of Computed Tomography (CT) Scan machines in all the fourteen regional referral hospitals in the country. The project that was slated for the previous year was postponed due to what the government refers to as “limited funding”.
Currently Uganda has only two public health facilities with CT Scan Machines at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala and Aber Health Centre IV in Oyam district. The country is at 57% of functional x-ray machines according to Dr. Sarah Byakika Kyeyamwashe believes the installation will kick off early 2022.
She made the revelations on Wednesday in a virtual address to the first annual regional health assembly for Acholi Sub Region held at Bomah Hotel in Gulu City.
The purchase and installation of a 128 slice CT scan machine approximately cost about 2.5 billion Shillings. Many citizens laud the attaining of the machine citing it will address a great need for the service across the country, ease access to service for patients and improve training facilities for medical students
However, some citizens believe acquiring a computed machine alone cannot improve the health sector if staffing issues are not addressed. Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, the State Minister for Northern Uganda said that the government through the public service should also consider staffing health facilities for effective services.
CT scans are used to identify disease or injury within various regions of the body. The scan is used to detect tumors or lesions within the abdomen, identify heart disease or abnormalities, locate injuries, pulmonary embolisms (blood clots), clots leading to stroke, hemorrhage, excess fluid, and other conditions such as emphysema or pneumonia.
CT scan is particularly useful when imaging complex bone fractures, severely eroded joints, or bone tumors since it usually produces more detail than would be possible with a conventional x-ray.
The two days’ assembly which started on Wednesday is being held under the theme; ‘’Improving Key Health Service Indicators for Host And Refugee Communities in Acholi Region Through Sharing Knowledge on Evidence Based-Strategies to Effectively And Equitably Optimize Outcomes.’’
