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MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. - Health - Nairaland

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MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by nlfpmod: 10:32pm On Apr 28
The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo state, is the first teaching hospital in Nigeria, and it lacks a basic diagnostic machine: the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. This has put a strain on patients who require proper diagnosis and treatment.

Being a radiologist, one would expect getting an MRI investigation done to be a walk in the park. This is not the case for Ademola Joseph, a 37-year-old radiologist and father of two.

Joseph has a towering figure but is now slightly bending due to his knee injury during a football match last August. He walks with an uncomfortable limp, making occasional grimaces. He was visibly in pain as he interacted with the reporter.

“After the injury, my doctor recommended an MRI investigation before he could start treatment. The test is important for him to see clearly what might have gone wrong there,” he said, pointing to the affected knee.

After the injury, his work and personal engagements suffered remarkably, just like his knee.

Entrance to the MRI centre, but patients can no longer access its services.

The MRI machine in this hospital (UCH) has been out of use for several years; so, the only alternative I have is to get the test done in a private facility. But it is so expensive that it would require me to take a loan. Before now, it was a matter of simply walking in and having the test done at UCH,” he said.

Joseph has been a radiologist for almost a decade. He feels betrayed by the healthcare system, which cannot take care of his medical needs despite his diligent service.

An MRI machine is critical in the diagnosis of certain conditions, such as injuries, tumours, cysts, certain heart problems, and more.

It uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed and clear images of the organs and tissues within the body.

“It is one of the most advanced forms of medical investigation,” says Godwin Ogbole, a professor and head of the radiology department at UCH.

THE PREMIER HOSPITAL

The University College Hospital, a foremost tertiary health institution in Nigeria, was established in August 1952. The hospital was launched to close the training gap of medical healthcare professionals in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The MRI centre, located in the south-east wing of the hospital, was inaugurated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005. But it only worked for eight years.

In 2014, another MRI machine was inaugurated by Temitope Alonge, the serving chief medical director. It was a private-public partnership between ERS Nigeria Limited, a Lagos-based medical supplier, and the UCH.

It stopped working in 2019.

While there are more advanced MRI machines depending on power, the machine in UCH is 0.2T (Tesla is the standard for measuring the magnetic field strength of a machine).

Globally, a basic MRI scanner costs $150,000 but can exceed several million dollars. Research showed that Japan has the most MRI scanners per capita, with 48 machines for every 100,000 people.

“Currently, about 80% of Africa’s population does not have access to MRI. Even if they can afford it, the service is not available,” Ogbole said.

He noted that over 10 countries in Africa do not have a single MRI and the 1.5 Tesla MRI machines in Nigeria are concentrated mostly among the top 5% of the population who live in urban areas like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.

Patients now have to look for means to carry out MRI investigations in private facilities, which are usually more expensive than similar services offered at UCH when the machines were active. For others who cannot afford private services, they are forced to live with their conditions.

Adeola Adebisi had to suspend her compulsory national youth service for over six months. She has been battling with back pain for five years. She was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition where some parts of the spine are curved; however, most recent investigations showed other concerns. In 2020, she was told to do an MRI for a more comprehensive evaluation.

My sister and I walked into the MRI centre with a request letter from the doctor. We met the doors open and the lights on, but the MRI machine was not working,” she told TheCable.

Adebisi said that although there is a building dedicated to MRI scans on the hospital premises, the machine is out of service.

“I was told that it had been faulty for a long time, so we were told to find another facility for the scan,” she said.

Then I was informed that the only place in Ibadan with a functional MRI machine was at a private diagnostic centre.”

Adebisi said she visited the centre but couldn’t afford the scan as she had already spent a lot on the other tests.

“The scan had to be put on hold for about three years. With the help of my family, the money was eventually raised, and I went back to the centre to find out that the price had ballooned,” Adebisi lamented.

“I spent almost N200,000 ($187) on the test. It was really painful because the delay went on for too long, and I had to live with the pain through the years.

Every time I went for my appointments at UCH, I used to see different patients with their MRI results from private labs or even some from other states.

“People would make jokes about why they have to spend that much money on MRIs when they don’t even have enough for food.”

Emmanuel Abiodun sustained an injury in 2018. He had an x-ray done as he was feeling some discomfort in his right knee.

His X-ray result pointed to an abnormality in the patella region, which needed an MRI for confirmation.

“It happened at the time the machine was down. I was forced to start using other forms of treatment like exercise and therapy to reduce pain,” he said.

“An MRI scan is an important clinical procedure, and it would have been nice for me to get it done then to know what the problem was and if surgery was needed.”

THE NEED FOR URGENT SOLUTIONS

“From my experiences as a medical student and now a doctor, I’ll say we are making progress,” says Babatunde Odunsi, a medical doctor at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

“Modern techniques of treatment and diagnosis have improved; but on the accessibility front, we are several steps behind.”

Odunsi said the lack of essential imaging or diagnostic aid in teaching hospitals points to poor management policy and governance.

“These are not exceptional or specialised tools; they are basic,” he said.

He noted that public-private partnerships increase accessibility and efficiency. He added that he expects such arrangements to work out at UCH and other teaching hospitals.

“We do not have local expertise. We do not have standard schools that train people to use these machines,” Ogbole, who is also an African Oxford (AfOx ) visiting fellow at Oxford University, said.

He told TheCable that most people who can afford to buy an MRI machine in Nigeria use it primarily for business.

“This is replicated across most African countries. Also, the few people who are trained to operate these machines have been compelled to relocate,” the professor said.

He, however, said plans are ongoing for the UCH to get a new MRI machine.

“There is an arrangement with the federal government to get the hospital a new MRI. Possibly in the next couple of years, we will get a 1.5 MRI,” Ogbole noted.

“It’s not in my purview to determine the cost of an MRI, as the new machine we are expecting is a form of public-private partnership and will also provide the technical capacity.”

Ogbole, who is a part of the leadership at the Consortium for the Advancement of MRI Education and Research in Africa (CAMERA), also recommended the use of a smaller, low-field MRI, which is easier to operate and maintain. He lamented the exodus of medical personnel from the country and the inadequate power supply in Nigeria. The low-field MRI, he said, is compliant with the uniqueness of Nigeria’s challenges and can also be used in rural communities.

“It looks like an ultrasound machine and can be used to scan a patient by the bedside in the Intensive Care Unit. The low-field MRI requires very little energy as it is battery-powered and cost-efficient,” he said.

Ogbole noted that while the downside of the machine is its low image quality, there is, however, diagnostic information that can be used for emergencies and to plan treatment.

“Investigations carried out in rural areas can be transmitted to any doctor anywhere in the world. We can begin to present these kinds of MRIs to peripheral hospitals for early diagnosis of conditions like stroke and trauma,” he added.

“A coolant is required. To keep it at a stable temperature, you need uninterrupted electricity. With the power situation in Nigeria, three or four generators are needed as they have to be switched on all year round. It also requires a lot of human capacity and trained personnel. Having the quality of trained people to manage MRIs in our environment is a challenge.”

He said biomedical engineers and the experts who operate the machines are in short supply.

Ogbole said the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine aims to democratise MRI, especially in Africa.

“Some of them are outdated already. Some of the machines that we have now are more than 20 years old,” he said.

Ogbole said the MRI machine in the UCH has reached its “logical end of life”.

THE DOCTOR’S FLIGHT AND THE PATIENT’S PLIGHT

Olushina Ajidahun, a resident doctor, said the healthcare situation in Nigeria is on the verge of collapse. He attributed this to a lack of adequate healthcare facilities and a poor reward and welfare system for health workers.

“It is embarrassing for one of the biggest government hospitals in Nigeria not to have a functional MRI. It should not be taken with levity. For example, you know that an MRI has a lot of applications and it is one of the modalities of medical investigation,” Ajidahun said.

“It hinders the doctors and the managing team as the level of their diagnosis is affected. I think that is very bad.

“It will lead to delay and inaccurate diagnosis because, without MRI, the doctors can only make guesses and could be treating the wrong ailment. This, in turn, impedes treatment planning and monitoring of patient’s progress and may lead to untimely deaths.

“Some procedures can only be done with assistance from an MRI. The machine can guide some surgical procedures, but when the machine is not functioning, then we cannot have those surgeries.”

Ajidahun said this results in patients consulting quacks because they don’t have money to do private investigations.

He noted that it is also going to impact the training of resident doctors because it is the only way they get professional experience. He advised the government to prioritise healthcare funding and rework the entire remuneration of healthcare workers.

“It would lead to a reduction of internally generated revenue in the hospital because patients have to be referred to private facilities. If you have a functioning MRI in a hospital, that’s more money for the government at subsidised rates for the government. That’s more IGR for the country,” he said.

“I think if this is done, you’ll notice that many healthcare workers would stay and try to help things get better. One MRI machine can save thousands of lives.”

Doctour is one of the healthcare professionals who left the country for greener pasture

Doctour, who goes by the pseudonym “Wakawaka Doctor” on X, formerly Twitter, told TheCable that he left Nigeria to practise elsewhere because he was overworked and underpaid.

“At the time, we’d see an average of 100–200 patients per day, and the salary was less than $100/ month,” he said.

“It’s disappointing that a big institution, a premier one like UCH, lacks access to a functioning MRI.”

“Neuroimaging in conjunction with physical examination is a valuable resource, and MRI is one of the biggest imaging techniques.”

For patients, the lack of access to MRI scans could result in delayed treatment and potentially worsened health outcomes. It may also lead to increased financial burden as patients may need to seek alternative, often more expensive, diagnostic methods.

https://www.thecable.ng/patients-suffer-as-nigerias-first-teaching-hospital-lacks-life-saving-machine/amp/

5 Likes 1 Share

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Bepositiv2(m): 10:35pm On Apr 28
Welcome to Nigeria

31 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Kelklein(m): 10:35pm On Apr 28
The money one politician (esp a governor) would launder from his state to pay his children's school fees for life and hide the remaining in the School's account is enough to buy 10 MRI machines, and more..

Nigeria is generally flawed (I hate to call it a joke). We run a system that ensures that things like this continue to elude us..

The powerful rulers (and weaker institutions) we have created haven't help the country and things would only get south from here..

We would start to get it right when we start to create stronger institutions and weaker individuals..

That would start with creating a brand new People's Constitution..

88 Likes 4 Shares

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Eriggs: 10:36pm On Apr 28
The MRI machine in this hospital (UCH) has been out of use for several years
; so, the only alternative I have is to get the test done in a private facility. But it is so expensive that it would require me to take a loan.
Before now, it was a matter of simply walking in and having the test done at UCH
At the bolded: Haba!! 😲
Something should be done about this,
It is people's life we talking about here.
This is what the state government can do in 1 day for crying out loud.

88 Likes 2 Shares

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by haybhi1(m): 10:36pm On Apr 28
Lol, UCH get MRI? How many top teaching hospitals get am for Naija?
MRI is an expensive diagnostic equipment. Our SR was telling us it costs about ₦2B to own one. People who can fix or produce it are rich automatically, these are stuff you should learn.

It's also a business idea that you buy this thing and put it in top teaching hospitals, if you're rich. A single diagnosis, using it goes for nothing less than 80k, and it's one of the unavoidable medical tools.

Thank me later.
Gerrard59:
Can the teaching hospitals actually pay for it? No be "come today, come tomorrow" for money?

Looking at the value of the naira, second hand MRI machines would be the best.
Honourable man, teaching hospitals cannot afford it—especially according to their CMDs. UI, UITH, ABUTH have all come out to state how much—multimillions—they're owing PHCN, let alone putting this in place. From the running of UITH in particular, they can't afford it. Among other things is the fact that patients don't pay as much in the public hospitals as they do in private hospitals. That's gives access to limited resources.

However, private partnership obtains. As an individual, you talk to them, they give you a space, you build a center, with a manager, and you buy the machine, and you make your dough.

15 Likes 2 Shares

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by 24kmagik: 10:37pm On Apr 28
Is Nigeria as a country working?

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Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Eriggs: 10:37pm On Apr 28
Ashez:
Too bad
The billions of money these useless folks in power can be used to fix most of our hospitals without battling an eyelid, yet one idiot chooses to pocket the money for his selfish reasons. Tufiakwa
This is just too sad.
You have said the truth and nothing but the truth.

80 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Ashez: 10:38pm On Apr 28
Too bad
The billions of money these useless folks in power steal can be used to fix most of our hospitals without battling an eyelid, yet one idiot chooses to pocket the money for his selfish reasons. Tufiakwa

5 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Melagros(m): 10:38pm On Apr 28
COMRADES, apc satanic, it has come to steal, kill and destroy
Apc has robbed us of our hard-earned joy by instilling unprecedented hardship on us
Look at, even the health sector was not left out from the brutal/callous attack of APC
If it were other party that is in power today in Nigeria our health sector wouldn't have been in this pitiable state

9 Likes 2 Shares

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by tayo200(m): 10:38pm On Apr 28
Bad
Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by SpatialKing(m): 10:40pm On Apr 28
Lol
Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Ibeyes: 10:40pm On Apr 28
Nigerian hospital which way

1 Like

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Matheusmartin: 10:41pm On Apr 28
...
Many Nigerians still do not understand how critical the Healthcare sector has become.

Some would managed to get a grasp when they or their loved ones fall sick and the nature of the sickness requiring some specialized hands..

Even with your money,u may not able to access good quality heath care..

May Nigeria not happen to us.

26 Likes 4 Shares

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by israelmao(m): 10:42pm On Apr 28
How much is MRI?Sadiya Farooque alone stole billions of naria from social investment scheme .Former accountant general of federation stole close to N200bn,Yahaya Bello alone stole N80.2bn,Emefiele and his cohort also stole staggering amount of public funds via the ways and means and others.Even El-Rufai with $350m loan he took from World Bank couldn't spare some amount out of it to purchase functional MRI and dialysis machines for Barau Dikko Hospital which now serves as teaching hospital for Kaduna State University though he employed young experienced medical personnel but no functional facilities to work with.Nigeria needs total shift from corruption which has turned to norm,no one we do it for us until we arise and put an end to this nonsense most of us are feeling indifferent to.

13 Likes 2 Shares

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Eriggs: 10:42pm On Apr 28
I hope this is fixed before the middle of next month.
I will see to that personally.

YorubaForum:
Tinupoo is coming to fix it? Otilo
Will you keep silent and take your political nonsense out of this thread please?
I don't know why your kind of tribalistic moniker will be allowed to post on this forum.
But the OP will ignore this as usual, his focus is on somewhere else.
Smh
Thundafireseun:

The ODE below me has not taken his malaria medication, kindly ignore his fooooooolishnesss
...and moniker such as this nonsense.

61 Likes 1 Share

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Thundafireseun: 10:42pm On Apr 28
News like this makes me want to JAPA ….

Not for my sake mainly….But to be able to give my children the best opportunities in life

The ODE below me has not taken his malaria medication, kindly ignore his fooooooolishnesss

10 Likes 1 Share

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by civilserva: 10:43pm On Apr 28
' How many MRI machines did Peter Obi buy for Anambra Hospital '


EDIT: For those quoting me, the above statement is sarcasm. This mirrors the thinking of those im.bec.iles that hate themselves so much.

1 Like 2 Shares

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by LagosFirstSon: 10:44pm On Apr 28
It can only be in Ibadan

That's why the people from there lay claim to owning Lagos because there state not functioning

5 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by onadana: 10:44pm On Apr 28
It is to the interest of the hospital management that this equipment don't work.Patients can be sent on referral to their private clinics and labs.

10 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by franchasofficia: 10:44pm On Apr 28
Awa lokan should replace it with at least 5, that is why we rallied behind him during 2023 Presidential election cool


Please take it to Twitter (x) and tag our latest Yoruba defender and Spokesperson Mockery O Reno so he can tell us why Peter Obi forgot to buy MRI machine for UCH angry

Tag Bayo Onanuga

Tag Funny Femi Kayode

Thank you

6 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by egojeny1(f): 10:45pm On Apr 28
Hmm, a whole UCH?? Something needs to be done asap

2 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Teeneyo(m): 10:45pm On Apr 28
And one governor swallow 80b plus......we 2 mumu for dis country

1 Like

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by YorubaForum: 10:46pm On Apr 28
Eriggs:

Will you keep silent and take your political nonsense out of this thread please?
I don't know why your kind of tribalistic moniker will be allowed to post on this forum.
But the OP will ignore this as usual, his focus is on somewhere else.
Smh
Will you keep silent and take your political nonsense out of this thread please?
I don't know why your kind of tribalistic p*g will be allowed to post on this forum.
But the OP will ignore this as usual, his focus is on somewhere else
Mtcheeeww..

5 Likes 1 Share

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Eriggs: 10:47pm On Apr 28
civilserva:
' How many MRI machines did Peter Obi buy for Anambra Hospital '
That's not the point here now.
Everything is not about politics.
No difference between you and the bigot above this post.
Nonsense everywhere.

7 Likes 1 Share

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by obi4eze(m): 10:48pm On Apr 28
angry
Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by justifyme(m): 10:48pm On Apr 28
Come to Memfys hospital Enugu

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by Racoon(m): 10:50pm On Apr 28
Same highly famed UCH used by the Saudi Royal Family and other foreign dignitaries in the 1950-60s era has become a butt of jokes. Nigeria is a mess.

7 Likes 1 Share

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by YorubaForum: 10:51pm On Apr 28
Now they are wearing osogbo_made shoes, previously they thought it will affect Igbos 🤣🤣

The iribaji farmer couldn't even polish his shoes well, what a Big Shame.

4 Likes

Re: MRI Machine At UCH Ibadan Is Not Working. Patients Suffering. by VinnyBaba: 10:52pm On Apr 28
According to Rapper Erigga, this Country need Ijaw Massage. undecided sad

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