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Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Soroti Regional Referral Hospital newly acquired aComputed Tomography Scan (CT Scan) machine is now in use.
The machine that was delivered in April was installed in one of the new buildings near the main theatre. Prior to the installation of the machine, patients have been traveling to Mbale, more than 100 kilometers away from Soroti.
The CT scan machine is used to conduct inter and intramuscular diagnoses such as muscle disorders, bone fractures, and tumors among others.
The Principal Hospital Administrator at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, Benzy Omoya says that much as they have started using the machines, the Ministry of Health is yet to commission its operations in the facility.
He notes that they have been undertaking various processes of operationalizing the machine including the acquisition of an operating license from the Atomic Energy Council. The license was acquired by the hospital last month.
However, Omoya says that the CT scan will come at a cost of 120,000 Shillings per patient for general services while specialized services will cost up to 150,000 Shillings. He notes that the fees were recommended by the Ministry of Health.
According to Omoya, most of the consumables used in the CT Scan are not provided for by the National Medical Stores.
Josephine Akiriat, who is attending to a patient nursing injuries sustained from a road accident in Serere says that the CT scan will help reduce costs of travel to Mbale.
“I have been to this hospital many times with patients in need of CT scan services. In most cases, we spend not less than 500,000 Shillings to travel and access CT Scan services in Mbale.
I’m happy to hear that the machines are now in Soroti. We shall talk about the prices when the services are available,” she said. Several government health facilities in Teso are operating without ultrasound scans and X-ray services.
Soroti Referral Hospital which serves 10 districts, has also been struggling with the X-ray and ultrasound scan machines. This has given an opportunity to people to invest in radiology services around the government health facilities across the Teso sub-region.
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