Zomba Central Hospital receives theatre equipment
Barely a month after Zomba Central Hospital (ZCH) announced that six patients were dying monthly on theatre beds due to lack of requisite equipment, government has come to the rescue of the hospital.
In an interview on Tuesday, Ministry of Health spokesperson Henry Chimbali said government has transferred to the central hospital two anaesthetic machines from Chikhwawa and Ntcheu district hospitals.
“One machine is already operating and we are fixing some minor problems on another. We expect it to be up and running perhaps end this week and full-scale operation of the theatre next week. We are also in a process of sending theatre monitors [to the central hospital],” he said.
According to Chimbali, the transfer of the equipment will not cause problems at Chikhwawa and Ntcheu hospitals as the machines were surplus to requirement.
ZCH administrator Thom Chisale confirmed the development and said: “We are happy; we hope the situation will improve.”
Shortage of equipment at the central hospital reached a critical stage such that two theatre rooms had to be closed whereas some surgeries were also suspended.
