Thyolo District Hospital needs X-ray machine

Thyolo District acting director of health and social services Dennis Solomon says the district hospital has been operating without an X-ray machine for over a year.

He has since appealed to well-wishers to help the hospital to buy an X-ray machine to ease scanning challenges.

Solomon said this on Friday when the Ministry of Health in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) donated medical equipment to Thyolo District Hospital to promote neonatal and maternal health.

He said: “The digital X-ray machine broke down and it is a challenge for health workers to conduct their duties effectively.

“Patients pay for the services in private hospitals or travel to Mulanje District Hospital to get scanned.”

In her remarks, Ministry of Health director of reproductive health services Fannie Kachale said the initiative started in 2019 during the Cyclone Idai disaster.

“We partnered with UNDP to improve neonatal and maternal health in the country following the Cyclone Idai disaster in 2019 which affected service delivery in most hospitals,” she said.

Kachale said maternal health remains a subject of concern with eight to 10 women dying in a day due to maternal complications, infection and high blood pressure.

The donated items included a theatre table, theatre beds, sterilisers, baby warmers, oxygen concentrators and medicine.

The initiative is funded by the German Government to the tune of $1 million (about K785 million).