By SARAH OOKO
In Summary
- Visiq boasts of a touch screen platform which allows users to tap on icons, which open various features of the ultrasound equipment.
- The Visiq ultrasound machine is especially geared towards handling emergency cases as it generates clear digital images faster than the Cart Base Ultra-sound Machine.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that
pregnant women make at least four antenatal care visits before they
deliver. These check-up sessions provide opportunities for clinicians to
examine mother and baby for any health complications or concerns that
may adversely affect delivery.
One key medical equipment used for the examination is an
ultra sound machine. It generates images of the unborn child as well as
the mother’s vital organs such as the liver and kidneys.
The most commonly used type is known as the Cart
Base Ultrasound Machine which, though effective, has its own share of
challenges. To address some of the shortcomings, Philips last week
launched a new ultrasound machine dubbed Visiq.
This diagnosis technology is light, weighing only
1.2 kilogrammes. Furthermore, it is designed in a tablet format and can
be easily detached from its stand and carried in an ordinary bag.
Ms Jacqueline Karachi, the Philips Ultra Sound
Business Manager, noted that these features make the technology ideal
for rural healthcare as doctors can easily carry them to remote
locations and attend to patients living far away from health facilities.
Reaching out to rural communities is especially
important as government statistics indicate that most mothers deliver at
home, having never made any antenatal visits to health facilities. This
is a major contributor to the country’s high maternal mortality rate,
where about 7,000 women die yearly from pregnancy related complications.
Since Cart Base Ultrasound Machines are bulky and quite heavy, they are usually stationed in a specific room.
“We have to wheel patients there. This causes an
inconvenience to some who may be in great pain,” said Irene Muthoni,” a
Sonographer at St Mary’s Hospital, Nairobi, who attended the Philips
Visiq training during the launch of their equipment.
Easy to operate
Having used the new technology, Ms Muthoni noted that the Visiq machine was easy to operate due to some unique attributes.
Indeed, Visiq boasts of a touch screen platform
which allows users to tap on icons, which open various features of the
ultrasound equipment. This also allows them to zoom in on images and
out, depending on the diagnosis being made.
According to Ms Karachi, the Visiq ultrasound
machine is especially geared towards handling emergency cases as it
generates clear digital images faster than the Cart Base Ultra-sound
Machine.
“When diagnosing victims of accidents for instance,
Visiq will be helpful as it can provide results in about a minute
thereby enabling a doctor to detect internal injuries and address them
urgently. The conventional ultrasound takes about 10 to 15 minutes,”
said Mr Alfonce Nyaga, a Medical Imaging expert and lecturer at Kenya
Medical Training College (KMTC) who also participated in the training.
“I managed to use it during today’s practical
session and I noticed that it’s not complicated at all. It can be easy
for anyone to operate,” he said.
This technology will be beneficial to rural regions
which may not necessarily have highly skilled health workers
specialised in imaging services. Visiq is also good for training
purposes, said Mr Nyaga.
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