UTH gets cart laboratory

Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya says government is constructing a cart laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka valued at 6.3 million kwacha for diagnosis of patients with heart problems.

Dr Chilufya said that the cart laboratory which will be operational this year will provide quality health care for people with heart problems in the country.

He further added that the cart laboratory will also help to decongest the waiting list that has over 400 heart cases at UTH.

Dr Chilufya disclosed that government has trained eight specialist doctors to provide specialised medical treatment to Zambians who are unable to access quality health services.

He said among the specialists who have returned from India to work at the cart laboratory include cardiac and neuro-surgeons as well as nurses and radiographers..

He said radiographers have been equipped with skills of handling the machines that were procured recently at the country’s biggest hospital.

Dr Chilufya said the heart surgeons that government has groomed are capable of handling both paediatric and adult cases.

He said government is also considering training more heart surgeons and deploying them in other health institutions across the country to ensure that people with heart conditions receive the necessary attention.

Dr Chilufya stated that government is not only upgrading clinics into fully fledged hospitals but also investing in human resource in order to improve health service delivery.

Recently the only specialist heart surgeon at UTH resigned and went back to Italy after raising contract issues .

However, Dr Chitalu said the specialist will be recalled once the cart laboratory at UTH is completed.

Meanwhile, Dr Chitalu says government has also procured CT Scans at Livingstone, Ndola and Kitwe Central Hospitals.

He said the procurement of CT Scans was a milestone in the development of the health sector as different challenges that people are faced with will easily be detected.