Wednesday, August 31, 2016

MRI machine breaks down, Muhimbili suspends tests

HILDA MHAGAMA
MUHIMBILI National Hospital's (MNH) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment has broken-down since August 24, 2016 due to power blackout.

Philips technicians in collaboration with their MNH counterparts began searching the possible side effects after power blackout and changed all the 31 batteries, according to MNH Public Relations Officer John Stephen “Even after changing the batteries to increase efficiency, technicians later on observed that the gradient module device was broken," he said, noting that MNH management has suspended MRI tests pending maintenance.
MRI is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body.
In many cases, MRI gives different information about structures in the body than can be seen with an X-ray, ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan. On a normal day, the one MRI equipment at the MNH serves between 10 and 15 patients.
The machine however has often been broken even after President John Magufuli's surprise visit to the national referral hospital last year. The machine had as of February 2016, served 2,200 patients.
On the other hand, Mr Stephen stated in a communiqué to the media that technicians of Philips, which was commissioned to conduct services of the machines, have started the procurement of the device from the Netherlands.

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