Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The University Teaching Hospital (UTH) has stopped sending patients abroad for cardiology specialist treatment.
UTH Cardiologist, Lorita Kabwe says this is because the catheterisation laboratory which the facility uses for treating illnesses such as heart attack and breathing problems is now equipped with new machinery.
Dr Kabwe told ZANIS in an interview that most heart illnesses and other conditions that were sent abroad before for treatment can now be treated locally.
Dr Kabwe, a specialist trained in intervention cardiology, further advised that there is no need for people to travel miles away to access treatment as UTH is now able to conduct most of the procedures.
She indicated that conditions such as defects and small holes in the heart are being handled by the medical team at the catheterisation lab.
The Doctor pointed out that about 12 to 15 children have been treated since the procurement of the new equipment.
And UTH Chief Radiographer, Soko Nyirenda, says the Radiology department offers a lot of diagnostic services among others CT Scanning, x-ray services and ultra sound services.
Ms Nyirenda says the x-ray and ultrasound services run for 24 hours while, nuclear services depend on the number of patients booked.
She further states that the department is now migrating x- ray services from analogue imaging to digital which she says is the best for producing high quality images.
Ms Nyirenda stated that the department has received a lot of new equipment and that Zambia is the only country in Southern Africa other than South Africa that has Cath lab machine.
She indicated that UTH now has a Dexter machine which is used to measure bone deficit in human beings.