MRI machine at KATH breaks down
The only Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has broken down since April this year.
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Some computed tomography (CT) scanners and C-Arms machines at the Accident and Emergency Centre of the KATH have also broken down.
The situation has brought discomfort to patients and medical practitioners at the medical facility, which also serves patients from the northern parts of the country.
But while empathising with clients, the management of the hospital explained that the manufacturers had flown in spare parts and experts to repair the broken-down machines.
It blamed the delay on the sale agreement of such complex machines, called Closed System.
Frustration
Expressing their frustration, the relative of a patient who had to travel to Accra for MRI scan, Mr Roberts Nsiah, said he had to drive his sick brother all the way to Accra, just for the scan.
Ms Racheal Afriyie also narrated the challenges she had while taking her seriously ill husband outside the hospital for some tests, including CT scan.
Director
The acting Director of Administration of KATH, Mr George Tetteh, explained that under the agreement, the manufacturers kept as a secret, the codes for opening and rectifying any minor or major fault on the machines, as well as for routine maintenance.
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He explained that immediately the faults were detected, the hospital administration informed the local agents of the manufacturers but because of the way the manufacturers operate, any time the machines developed faults, the hospital would have to inform the local agents who would assess the fault and if they could not rectify it they would notify their parent company. The experts from the company would then come to Ghana and repair them but if any part had to be replaced, it had to be imported.
Loss of revenue
Mr Tetteh said the hospital was losing a lot of revenue due to the malfunctioning machine. Besides, it was inconvenient for the patients, their relatives as well as hospital staff who had to carry the patients to other places for the test.
Repairs
On its visit to both the Plaster and Radiography departments, the Daily Graphic met some Siemens experts working on the CT scanners and C-Arms.
A copy of the packing list intercepted by the Daily Graphic indicated that the imported items included Camerahead, Board D1, Board D3 and Conversion Kit Barco 1-Monitor for the C-Arms.
Machines
The CT scanners and C-Arms were manufactured by Siemens and the MRI, Toshiba.
The CT scanner’s parts include Carbon Brush set Power F, Carbon Bruch set Data P10, Signal Brush, Power Brush, Plexi Glass and Mic cable.
C-Arms
C-Arms are imaging scanner intensifiers. They are named according to their configuration. They have radiographic capabilities, though they are used primarily for fluoroscopic imaging during surgical, orthopaedic, critical care, and emergency care procedures.
A computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body.
MRI
MRI is a technique that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the organs and tissues within a person’s body. Most MRI machines are large, tube-shaped magnets. When you lie inside an MRI machine, the magnetic field temporarily realigns hydrogen atoms in your body.