By NOEL IYOMBWA
THE only bone scanning machine at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka is broken and it will not be repaired because it has exceeded its lifespan, Health Minister Jonas Chanda has told Parliament.
Dr Chanda said the machine broke down almost two years ago but that it will not be repaired because the costs are too high.
He told the House that Government is in the process of procuring two machines and that it will get a loan and that a tender process has started.
“Mr Speaker, the machine has exceeded its life span so we are not going to repair but I would like to inform the House that Government is in the process to acquire two machines that will be installed at UTH at a cost of $1.9 million and $900, 000 respectively” he said.
Dr Chanda also told the House that in the absence of the two machines, alternative machines such as Citi scans are being used.
He was responding to Milenge Member of Parliament Mwansa Mbulakulima who asked the minister of Health, when the bone scanning machine in the Nuclear Department of the UTH broke down, when the machine will be repaired and whether Government has any plans to procure a modern machine.
Mr Mbulakulima also asked how, in the absence of the machine, cardiology, oncology, neurology and psychiatry-related complications are being handled.
