Shortage of staff and the breaking down of one of the ultrasound machines at the Moi Referral hospital in Voi has seen scanning services at the hospital paralyzed.
A spot check by Baraka FM on Wednesday revealed long queues with some with some patients having to wait for several days to access the service.
Evans Hussein from Godoma village in Mwatate had waited for two days to access the service having traveled from Mwatate.
“It is discouraging for patients travelling all over Taita Taveta from Taveta, Wundanyi and Mwatate who have to depend on one machine due to inadequate sonographers to operate the machine” Evans Hussein said.
Sharon Mwangi who had also traveled all the way from Mwatate claimed that despite arriving at the hospital at 8 o’clock she had not yet been attended to by 3 o’clock .
The hospital management confirmed delays of ultrasound and scanning services due to lack of enough employees to operate the 5 machines.
The county has 5 ultrasound machines placed in Wesu, Mwatate, Taveta and Voi and only one of the two machines placed at the Moi referral facility is working.
There are only 2 employees in the county who work at the ultrasound and scanning Unit.
Patients are now challenging the county through department of health services to recruit more sonographers who will operate the machines in the health facilities.
