New medical diagnostic centre set for Lusaka

By Pelekelo Liswaniso
ZAMBIA has joined several other African countries in reducing the number of deaths from malaria by more than half through aggressive control measures.

This is a remarkable achievement and a tribute to the hard work and commitment by the Ministry of health and its partners, who over the years mapped out various strategies to combat the killer disease.

Some of the measures included an accelerated distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and in-door spraying of households.

These were preventive measures which resulted in a 66 per cent reduction of malaria in the country.

We revisit the issue of malaria again this week as a reference to remind the nation on the importance of prevention being better than cure following reports that Bharat Nuclear Scans of India plans to set up a diagnostic centre in Lusaka at a cost of US$3 million.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry and Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) in Lusaka on Monday, the Company Managing Director, Dr Emmanuel Rajamani said his firm is in talks with Government on the possibility of setting up the centre, which is likely to be established in six months time once discussions are concluded.

The firm is also discussing with the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and private health institutions on how it can work with them.

Such a medical service is more than welcome because it will not only enhance medical care but will result in a reduction on the number of deaths amongst the people.

We are confident that the introduction of a new diagnostic centre will also reduce the cost of health services in the country because it will provide for early detection of diseases and enable medical personnel to prescribe appropriate treatment in good time.

As Professor Neil Nkanza said, the first thing in health management is correct health management and treatment can be effected once the proper diagnosis is known.

The plan to set up the new diagnostic centre is therefore commendable because, at the moment, Zambia lacks proper diagnostic facilities.

Apart from Nkanza laboratories in Lusaka and some X-ray equipment at UTH, and the CT scan in Kitwe, some of which are obsolete, the country has no diagnostic facilities to talk about.

Most patients are often treated without any diagnosis about the ailments they complain of while others spend huge sums of money on travel abroad where the facilities are available.

Many have died because of insufficient diagnosis and we feel this is unacceptable.

We are, therefore, cheered by reports that Bharat Nuclear Scans plans to set up a medical diagnostic centre in Lusaka because the service will augment the few established diagnostic centres in the country and assist early detection of diseases and save lives.