Patients who visit the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital may not have to seek laboratory tests at other facilities following the hospital’s procurement of an ultramodern laboratory machine that can run over two thousand tests a day.
For years, patients who visit the nation’s leading teaching hospital, are often referred to other private facilities to have their lab tests as the facility did not have the necessary equipment for such tests.
This sometimes resulted in inaccurate, unreliable test results and eventually wrong diagnosis, putting the lives of patients at risk.
The hospital’s central laboratory was also hit by a severe shortage of essential supplies which affected the smooth running of the facility. This situation persisted until it was shut down in 2006.
Even though the lab was reopened, it still lacks the tools needed to meet the needs of its patrons.
In a bid to fully serve its purpose as the premier referral hospital in the country, the government has procured an ultramodern laboratory machine known as SAL 6000, under a partnership agreement with Shenzhen Mindray, a bio- Medical Electronics company in China.
“This kind of corporation is based on the situation. On one side the patients need very good treatment, and they need a very good diagnostics result. On the other side there needs to be an upgrade of the health service. So Mindray is acting like a bridge in between to give solutions to both sides. So together with our partners we’ve brought the equipment. And from the hospital side, they will not have pressure on the financial side,” Regional Sales Manager of Shenzhen Mindray Diego FANG said.
Director of Lynch Medical Services, local partners of Mindray, also spoke about the importance of the machine.
“SAL 6000 is a chemistry Analyzer, the most powerful tool in Shenzhen Mindray in China. We can have 2000 plus tests per day, and it also gives results in less than one hour, so patients’ frustration is over. It runs liver, kidney, anaemia panels and other tests,” Mauric Nyamekye.
Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Daniel Asare, expressed his satisfaction at the arrival of the machine, stating that it will help improve health delivery.
“Most of the machines and reagents in Korle-Bu are worn out, and some are stocked out, so some of the patients are asked to go out to conduct the tests. And the quality of those tests are suspicious. Even though we are not paying for the machine, we are going to buy the reagents for it. We are going to control the tariffs and make sure the NHIS is covered,” he stated
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By: Ann-Shirley Ziwu | citinewsroom.com | Ghana |