Karonga District Hospital gets new TB X-ray machine
Programme has installed a new X-ray machine that has capacity to electronically screen and detect symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) in the lungs of patients.
Speaking during the installation on Friday, the hospital’s chief radiography technician Joseph Gondwe said the new X-ray machine will help to reduce work as well as time of waiting for the results.
He said: “This machine has artificial intelligence which detects and produces results immediately.
“In the past, it was hard for the experts to detect TB, as such, in some instances, they had to guess the results.”
Karonga district TB officer Samson Chitsulo said the machine will help to improve accuracy in the interpretation of chest X-rays of suspected TB patients.
He said: “We have had the old X-ray machine that required additional training to handle it but we are lucky that the new machine gives the readings that only require someone to write what has already been detected.
“Another advantage is that patients will receive treatment at the right time as the disease will be detected immediately after the test unlike in the past when it could take more hours and days to detect it.”
A TB patient Catherine Mandota was excited about the development.
“We are grateful with the new X-ray machine as we will be able to get results in time because the machine is very powerful in detecting one’s problem,” she said.
