University Teaching Hospital (UTH) has disclosed that it has only three machines used on patients with kidney failure.
UTH says due to inadequate haemodialysis equipment, patients are refered to South
Africa.
This came to light in Lusaka today when UTH Acting Managing Director Peter Mwaba
briefed President Levy Mwanawasa who visited the UTH stand at the 81st Zambia
Agriculture Commercial Show (ZACS) which has opened its doors to the public today.
Dr Mwaba appealed to the Head of State to consider purchasing more machines to cater
for the growing demand for the equipment. ÂÂ
Dr. Mwaba also told Mr. Mwanawasa that at the moment his institution had only two
qualified Medical Personnel who know how to operate the equipment.
He however assured Mr. Mwanawasa that Government through the Ministry of Health has sent six medical personnel for training abroad who could be able to operate the
equipment which he desrcibed as ‘highly technical’ and expensive to buy.
In response, President levy Mwanawasa expressed saddness but assured that he would
seek audience with Health Minister Dr. Brian Chituwo on the issue stressing that
Government was committed to providing health services closer to the people.
ÂÂ
Bostwana President Festus Mogae officially opens this year’s 81st Zambia Agriculture
and Commercial Show today.
The visiting leader departs for Botswana immediately after the official opening.
Renal MD’s just like any other MD’s come with a price.You need to offer attractive conditions and not political rhetorics.GRZ has trained us at a cost and yet GRZ does not see value in us as MD’s.Instead a loud mouthed Nakadoli market “chap” who turns MP is treasured most.The cost of Hemodialysis (HD) for Pt. with ESRD (End stage renal disease) is high.The HD machine and the supplies that goes with the service is equally expensive.It would be cheaper for GRZ to “outsource”the equipment , if I may use this blog term from a private company.Let the company supply the equipment and bill UTH/GRZ for the service rendered to each ESRD pt. on HD.
This should apply to CT scans and MRI’s. UTH can not manage to service these machines.
Good luck Dr Mwaba,do what you can for UTH.You have another 12 months in which to prepare chronic UTH problems and present them at the 2008 Agriculture show to the President.If that is what it will take to resuscitate the ailing institution.
Most hi-tech medical equipment is usually leased, & comes bundled with a regular maintenance/service contract, in the west, as this happens to be cheaper for the institution. However this has to be taken in context with the options on offer @ the time of acquisition as the above may not hold true for all. It would make sense to acquire such equipment from RSA, as in the long term, getting service engineers would be cheaper in terms of logistics.
Bravo Dr.Mwaba at least you are not like your predecessors who used to shiver at the sight of politicians and would tell them UTH was just fine.However,don’t stop at dialysis machines tell LPM you need more U/S&CT scan machines, ventilators for PICU etc
MAINTENANCE COSTS OF HI-TEC MEDICAL EQUIPMENT CAN BE PROHIBITIVELY HIGH, LEASING IS THE ONLY VIABLE OPTION
Iwe number 4…#? You must be living in foreign land and have come to leran that leasing exists !are you sure that is the best alternative? leasing…..you are zambian for sure! what maintenance costs! do you know how much the government spends to maintain a minister’s cost of living? it is just a matter of the government setting it’s priorities right…. the money is there quite alright, but it is spent on useless things. for instance maintaining the state house slush fund? do you know how much money was allocated to state house for spending ( beverages, beer, wine)?” wake up my friend, do your research before you contribute? last week our government reported that it was buying over 70 ambulances? why not buy the machines first! ministers fly out to south africa for medical check up’s and you are talking of leasing as the option. it is a pity fellas like yourself are allowed to vote, no wonder to elect the wrong people…! wake up my friend ….one zambia one nation.
#5 Eastern Power you are right on!! This govt & previous govts are only concerned with dressing up problems, hence the big headlines of 70 new ambulances. In my view, they would have done better by BUYING 70 NEW HEARSES – becoz honestly whats the point of transporting a patient to a place where there are no facilities for care. It is all cheap politicking – just to show that they are doing something – they choose to project the highly visible things that will achieve their political psychological goals – becoz, lets face it, if they stocked the hospitals with medication & the required equipment, it takes a while to filter thru to the general population that things are picking up.
i think instead of promising negotiations GRZ should for once take medicare serious in this nation.As we stand, the condions at UTH are going to the dogs while the GRZ is “still negotiating”.Its a tremendous shame.
I WISH To APPRICIAT DR PETER MWABA FOR HIS DEDICATIN TO UTH. HiS
LONG STAY AND WORKING FOR UTH IS IN ITSELF is a proof of HIS
DEDICAYION,KEEP IT up DR PETER MWABA .WE ARE ALL WITH YOU.
DR V K RAJPAL
PROF OF PEDIATRICS ,ICMCH INDIA
FORMRLY , REGISTRAR (1981 to 1984 DEC)DEPRTMENT PEDIATRICS
UTH LUSAKA ZAMBIA
[email protected]