The CT scan machine in Samtse Hospital, which has remained idle for around six months, is expected to become operational within a month. The health minister, during the Meet the Press session, said they are awaiting the arrival of spare parts and engineers from the suppliers to restore service.
The district hospital’s CT scan machine stopped functioning since April, forcing many patients to travel to Thimphu or across the border for scans.
According to the health minister, the issue is not with the CT scan machine but because of electrical instability and a fault in the machine’s supporting systems.
“Initially, there were rodent-related issues that affected the Printed Circuit Board, but those problems have now been completely resolved. We also faced electrical grounding issues, also known as earthing, for which the Bhutan Power Corporation recommended the installation of a GEE slab earthing system. This has since been completed and is now fully operational,” said Tandin Wangchuk, Health Minister.
The minister said electrical fluctuations in the southern belt are another challenge, especially during the monsoon season.
He said that due to frequent electrical fluctuations, which are quite common in the southern belt, the hospital’s Uninterruptible Power Supply or UPS, which provides a stable and continuous power supply for the CT scanner, suffered damage.
“The UPS, which is crucial for stabilising power to the CT scan, is currently non-functional. We are awaiting the arrival of both the required spare parts and the engineers from the supplier to carry out the necessary repairs. We expect this to be resolved within the next month, and it will be functional,” said Tandin Wangchuk, Health Minister.
According to the minister, once the UPS and related electrical systems are restored, the CT scan machine, installed two years ago, will resume operation.
Devika Pradhan & Kinley Dem
Edited by Phub Gyem
