Mzimba Hospital operates without X-ray machine for 3 months
Patients requiring X-ray services at Mzimba District Hospital have expressed concern over a faulty machine at the health facility which is forcing them to incur more expenses.
The patients have said it is expensive travelling to Mzuzu Central Hospital to access the service.
Emily Mkandawire, who was referred from Mzambazi Clinic in Euthini, said she was disappointed after arriving at the district hospital to be referred again to Mzuzu Central Hospital.
“I was very disappointed to be referred from one hospital to the other so that I access X-ray services. I spent a lot on transport even though public hospital services are free,” she said.
Wanangwa Jere from Mzimba Boma said he was forced to go to a private hospital where he paid more for the X-ray service which is offered for free at the district hospital when the machine is up and running.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency, Mzimba District Hospital spokesperson Ulunji Luhanga confirmed that the hospital’s X-ray machine has been down for three months now.
“The only problem the X-ray machine has is a wornout battery and once that [the battery] is procured, things will go back to normal and patients will not be travelling long distances to access the service.
“At the moment, most of the procurement processes have been made and soon the supplier is going to deliver the battery,” said Luhanga.
