{UAH} Butabika hospital X-ray machine breaks down
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Butabika hospital X-ray machine breaks down
Written by URN
Dr David BasangwaAs if conspiring against patients and on a mission to expose further the sorry state of Uganda's health, another machine at a government hospital has broken down.
As the nation was still coming to terms with the agonizing news of a breakdown of the country's only Cobalt-60 radiation machine at the the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), Butabika hospital, Uganda's national mental referral facility executive director, Dr David Basangwa today revealed that the hospital's X-ray machine has also been down since last month. As such, Butabika is seeking for about Shs 400m to purchase a new X-ray machine.
Dr Basangwa told MPs on the Health Committee this afternoon that the existing X-ray machine broke down last month, thereby affecting the quality of diagnosis given to its patients. He says in the short term, a technician has been asked to buy spare parts in Nairobi as they await allocation of the funds to purchase a new machine.
"Our X-ray machine is broken down, we have had discussions with the PS [permanent secretary] before about and there were some promises made. We repair it but it constantly breaks down because it is very old now. So to reduce on the maintenance costs probably it might be helpful to get a new one", Basangwa said.
The revelation comes days after it was established that the radiotherapy machine at UCI at Mulago national referral hospital broke down last month, leaving over 33,000 patients stranded.
Government says it requires over Shs 30 billion to build a bunker to house the new radiotherapy machine but only Shs 9 billion has been allocated in the 2016/2017 budget. We have also learnt that patients at Masaka hospital can't access x-ray services because the X-ray machine broke down four months ago. The hospital needs about Shs 21 for its repair.
Basanga further says the hospital requires about Shs 3.5 billion in the 2016/2017 to purchase a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, which scans all body parts including the brain and spinal cord.
"Much as we know our brothers in Mulago do not even have an MRI but Butabika we are also struggling. If the budget can permit, we need an MRI. This is a national referral hospital, we need this a lot to improve our diagnostics so it would be nice of we can also be supported on this"
Dr Medard Bitekyerezo, the Health Committee chairman, says despite the financial constraints, Butabika should be lauded for providing mental health services.
Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the State Minister of Health admitted that the Ministry is grappling with funding challenges but will try to look for funds in areas for urgent need of resources.
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