Mpilo MRI scan opening brings relief to patients

IN 2020, Thamsanqa Nyathi (15) developed sudden headaches, which were diagnosed as a brain tumour, a condition that brought serious changes to his life.

He went for surgery that same year to address the headaches but the condition recurred, forcing him to undergo another operation, which saw him spending more than a month at Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

After spending another month at the general hospital ward, specialists recommended that Thamsanqa gets an MRI scan last year in July, which was going to cost the family US$500 at private service providers as the service was not available in any public facility.

While he was recovering, doctors kept emphasising the need for an MRI scan for them to effectively administer treatment.

Thanks to the Government’s efforts in improving health service delivery, Thamsanqa was one of the first clients to use the state-of-theart MRI machine, which was recently installed at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. The MRI was officially opened to members of the public on Monday.

MRI is a non-invasive medical imaging test that produces detailed images of almost every internal structure in the human body, including the organs, bones, muscles, and blood vessels.

MRI scanning creates images of the body using a large magnet and radio waves. It comes with several advantages compared to CT scans as it is less harmful to patients and provides clearer depictions, which lead to the correct diagnosis.

Mpilo Central Hospital is a 1 000-bed facility, the second biggest in Zimbabwe, and services the southern region, which includes Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and South provinces. A similar scan is stationed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare to service the northern region.

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