The damaged X-ray at Nkhota-kota district hospital is causing problems to patients seeking X-ray services at Nkhota-kota District Hospital.

According to information available at Face of Malawi, the Ex-ray machine developed a technical fault three weeks ago.

At the meantime, Dwambazi rural hospital which is 90km away, is the only one having the X-ray machine and patients are sent from Nkhota-kota district hospital to Dwambazi rural hospital on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

On Tuesday morning, patients were seen at the hospital’s ambulance bay waiting to be ferried to Dwambazi but only a handful were allowed due lack of transport.

Speaking in an interview, Lozi Secondary School student Emmanuel Bango who appeared to be in agony after breaking his arm two weeks ago, expressed disappointment with the machine’s breakdown.

“I was told that the X-ray machine is faulty. So the doctor advised me to come today Tuesday to travel to Dwambazi,” he said.

Another patient Francis Mtonga from Mwansambo, who had a fractured leg, appealed to authorities to address the problem quickly.

“I came as early as 5am hoping to get assistance only to be told that the equipment is not working,’’ he said.

However, the hospital’s spokesperson Justice Malunga said authorities are working to fix the machine.

“We are not providing scanning services to patients due to a technical fault. The problem will be over by month end. So far, the hospital is arranging transport for patients to travel to Dwambazi Rural Hospital,” he said.

Nkhota-kota District Hospital is a referral facility that receives patients from other health centres.