Government installs first CT Machine in Northern Uganda

Oyam, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government through the Ministry of Health has installed the first Computed Tomography (CT) scan machine in Northern Uganda at St. John XXIII hospital Aber in Oyam District valued at Shillings 1.3 Billion.

The CT machine will serve the people of Lango, Acholi, Teso and West Nile regions. CT scan is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to get detailed images of the body noninvasively for diagnostic purposes.

Speaking at the commissioning of the CT Machine, the Health Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Acheng, said it will help improve the standard of care given to patients seeking services at the facility.

The minister, who was born at the hospital, cautioned the operators of the CT Machine to make the best use of the machine so as to serve its purpose.

Dr. Acheng also disclosed that the government is planning to install CT and MRI machines in all regional referral hospitals across the country in the near future.

Dr. Thomas Malinga, the Oyam District Health Officer, said being the only referral hospital in the district, the installation of the CT scan will boost service delivery as well as improve their performance as a district.

He called on the community seeking services at the hospital to embrace the cost sharing model to ensure that the hospital remains operational.

Jillian Akullo, the Oyam Resident District Commissioner is excited that the presence of the machine will save the community the cost of travelling long distances in search of such services.

Geoffrey Owiny, a resident of Aber in Atapara is optimistic that the availability machine at Aber Hospital will not only save them money but also the long distance they used to cover in search for such services.

Kilian Songwe, Regional Director Aglobal HealthCare Public Foundation Africa, an organization that has been supporting the hospital with laboratory equipment and management system, says say the CT scan will boost screening of patients.

St. John XXIII Aber Hospital started in 1936 as a community health center before it was taken over by Missionaries in 1938.

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