Botswana’s first quaternary hospital, the Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital (SKMTH) has set up a Radiology Department based on the latest available medical imaging services equipment.

Acting Commissioning Manager, Dr Ishmael Makone said, “All pieces of equipment make use of PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) for storing, processing and viewing images.”

Makone said the Radiology Department will provide medical imaging services “for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.”

These services include general radiography, ultrasound, and computed tomography (CT) scan, fluoroscopy, mammography, angiography, and interventional radiology, magnetic resonance imaging using a 3T (MRI) and bone mineral densitometry.

The hospital believes the department will ensure accurate results are delivered to health professionals and also lead to shorter waiting periods.

Botswana’s Minister of Health, Dr Edwin Dikoloti said the tech is available to both private and public sector patients.

He underlined the benefit of “reliable and timeous imaging services” to optimise patient management via 3 Tesla MRI, advanced CT, ultrasound, fluoroscopy machines and high-speed connectivity IT services.

Dr Dikoloti added, “The current healthcare system cannot be conceptualised or planned with an obsolete mind-set. Disease trends have changed and so must the healthcare system.”

The Minister said the government expects the hospital to adopt high level digitisation techniques in order to enhance its efficiency and accessibility.

The next suite of phase one services will be provided in Q4 of 2022 with radiation oncology billed for Q1 2023, according to hospital authorities.