Oyam District medical equipment idle for 2 years
Treatment. A medical worker attends to a child at Anyeke Health Centre IV in Oyam District in December last year. PHOTO BY TOBBIAS JOLLY
What you need to know:
- Issue. District health authorities say they lack skilled personnel to operate the machines.
- Mr Nelson Adea, the Oyam District LC5 chairperson, lamented the non-functionality of the radiology unit, saying it has negatively impacted the quality of health service delivery in the district.
New health equipment that were handed over to Anyeke Health Centre IV in Oyam District about two years ago lie idle due to lack of qualified personnel to operate them.
They include an X-ray machine at Anyeke Health Centre IV in Oyam Town Council and an ultra-sound scan machine at the health centre’s radiology unit.
The radiology unit was constructed in the 2017/2018 financial year to provide affordable X-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging as well as other diagnostic services.
Dr Thomas Malinga, the district health officer, told Daily Monitor in an interview that the radiology unit has remained under lock since 2017.
“The machines are idle yet they would benefit some patients but we lack the qualified personnel to operate them. We have written numerous letters to the Health ministry requesting for personnel but we have received no reply,” Dr Malinga said.
He said the district has not been able to recruit a radiographer since the position does not exist in the health centre IV staffing although they have written to the Health and Public Service ministries to authorise the recruitment.
Referrals
Daily Monitor has established that patients in need of radiology services are referred to Aber Hospital, Gulu Referral Hospital, and St Mary’s hospital Lacor in Gulu Town.
But Mr Jacob Ampeire, the deputy public relations officer at the Health Ministry, said the request will immediately be processed and granted once a verification is done.
“Although we are yet to see the letter, I can assure you that the request will be worked on and granted to allow them go forward to avoid delays since service delivery to the population is our priority currently,” Mr Ampeire said.
He said it was unfortunate that the facility received the equipment long ago but the district is only writing back to them over the challenge now. Mr Nelson Adea, the Oyam District LC5 chairperson, lamented the non-functionality of the radiology unit, saying it has negatively impacted the quality of health service delivery in the district.
“The absence of a radiographer is a big problem here because the facilities they are referred to are very far,” Mr Adea said
Oyam District has a population of 488,000 with 44 health facilities that refer patients to Anyeke Health Centre IV for radiology services.
Oyam District medical equipment idle for 2 years
GEOFFREY OKOT & TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY
New health equipment that were handed over to Anyeke Health Centre IV in Oyam District about two years ago lie idle due to lack of qualified personnel to operate them.
They include an X-ray machine at Anyeke Health Centre IV in Oyam Town Council and an ultra-sound scan machine at the health centre’s radiology unit.
The radiology unit was constructed in the 2017/2018 financial year to provide affordable X-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging as well as other diagnostic services.
Dr Thomas Malinga, the district health officer, told Daily Monitor in an interview that the radiology unit has remained under lock since 2017.
“The machines are idle yet they would benefit some patients but we lack the qualified personnel to operate them. We have written numerous letters to the Health ministry requesting for personnel but we have received no reply,” Dr Malinga said.
He said the district has not been able to recruit a radiographer since the position does not exist in the health centre IV staffing although they have written to the Health and Public Service ministries to authorise the recruitment.
Referrals
Daily Monitor has established that patients in need of radiology services are referred to Aber Hospital, Gulu Referral Hospital, and St Mary’s hospital Lacor in Gulu Town.
But Mr Jacob Ampeire, the deputy public relations officer at the Health Ministry, said the request will immediately be processed and granted once a verification is done.
“Although we are yet to see the letter, I can assure you that the request will be worked on and granted to allow them go forward to avoid delays since service delivery to the population is our priority currently,” Mr Ampeire said.
He said it was unfortunate that the facility received the equipment long ago but the district is only writing back to them over the challenge now. Mr Nelson Adea, the Oyam District LC5 chairperson, lamented the non-functionality of the radiology unit, saying it has negatively impacted the quality of health service delivery in the district.
“The absence of a radiographer is a big problem here because the facilities they are referred to are very far,” Mr Adea said
Oyam District has a population of 488,000 with 44 health facilities that refer patients to Anyeke Health Centre IV for radiology services.
Oyam District medical equipment idle for 2 years
GEOFFREY OKOT & TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY
New health equipment that were handed over to Anyeke Health Centre IV in Oyam District about two years ago lie idle due to lack of qualified personnel to operate them.
They include an X-ray machine at Anyeke Health Centre IV in Oyam Town Council and an ultra-sound scan machine at the health centre’s radiology unit.
The radiology unit was constructed in the 2017/2018 financial year to provide affordable X-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging as well as other diagnostic services.
Dr Thomas Malinga, the district health officer, told Daily Monitor in an interview that the radiology unit has remained under lock since 2017.
“The machines are idle yet they would benefit some patients but we lack the qualified personnel to operate them. We have written numerous letters to the Health ministry requesting for personnel but we have received no reply,” Dr Malinga said.
He said the district has not been able to recruit a radiographer since the position does not exist in the health centre IV staffing although they have written to the Health and Public Service ministries to authorise the recruitment.
Referrals
Daily Monitor has established that patients in need of radiology services are referred to Aber Hospital, Gulu Referral Hospital, and St Mary’s hospital Lacor in Gulu Town.
But Mr Jacob Ampeire, the deputy public relations officer at the Health Ministry, said the request will immediately be processed and granted once a verification is done.
“Although we are yet to see the letter, I can assure you that the request will be worked on and granted to allow them go forward to avoid delays since service delivery to the population is our priority currently,” Mr Ampeire said.
He said it was unfortunate that the facility received the equipment long ago but the district is only writing back to them over the challenge now. Mr Nelson Adea, the Oyam District LC5 chairperson, lamented the non-functionality of the radiology unit, saying it has negatively impacted the quality of health service delivery in the district.
“The absence of a radiographer is a big problem here because the facilities they are referred to are very far,” Mr Adea said
Oyam District has a population of 488,000 with 44 health facilities that refer patients to Anyeke Health Centre IV for radiology services.
