In the offing: 10 digital X-ray machines for regional hospitals
What you need to know:
The government’s digital x-ray project comes as a response to concerns raised by patients who have been complaining of delays in getting x-ray services.
Regions of priority for the installation of the machines are Morogoro, Bukoba, Mbeya, Katavi, Simiyu, Singida, Chato and Dar es Salaam.
Currently, many government hospitals are using old x-ray machines which have been operating for the last 15 years
Dar es Salaam. The government is planning to install 10 digital X-ray machines, worth 1.74 billion in total, at regional hospitals across the country.
One of the machines is expected to be handed over to Amana Regional Referral Hospital in Ilala Municipal on Tuesday October 2nd.
This was revealed by the Minster for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Ms Ummy Mwalimu at a press conference in Dar es Salaam.
She told reporters that regions of priority for the installation of the machines are Morogoro, Bukoba, Mbeya, Katavi, Simiyu, Singida, Chato and Dar es Salaam.
The minister said the government would add another 24 digital x-ray machines worth a total of Sh4.1 billion as per the 2017/2018 healthcare budget.
Philips, an electronics company responsible for the maintenance of the machines, said they can last for ten years without technical problems.
The company has signed a 5-year maintenance contract, said Ms Monica Joseph, the Chief Executive Officer of Philips-Tanzania.
She said that currently, many government hospitals are using old x-ray machines which have been operating for the last 15 years.
This, she noted, has made access to X-ray services a chaotic process at regional hospitals.
According to Minister Ummy Mwalimu, the coming of the digital x-rays machines would help reduce the time that a patient spends waiting for x-ray results.
As a starting point, she said, one digital x-ray machine is already operating in Chato which would now make a total of eleven machines for now.
The digital x-ray project comes as a response to concerns raised by patients who have been complaining of delays in getting x-ray services.
