Scanner at Besthesda hospital in Agou Nyogbo: more than 400 patients benefited in 6 months

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Extract from the article: The scanner installed in the radiology department of Besthesda hospital in Agou Nyogbo effectively started operating on Monday 20 November 2023. After 6 months, the results are positive. The 32-bar scanner is already a source of great satisfaction to

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The scanner installed in the radiology department of Besthesda hospital in Agou Nyogbo effectively started operating on Monday 20 November 2023. After 6 months, the results are positive. The 32-bar scanner is already a source of great satisfaction to the hospital management and the local population.

Sister Honorine Fintakpa, Director of the Jean Paul 2 secondary school in Atakpamé (a town 161 km from Lomé), has been helping 19-year-old Folly, a young student in his second year of electricity, for several weeks. He suffered a head injury in a fall at school.‘He wasn't talking and we thought it was just a headache.But the pain persisted. Despite my concerns, his parents decided to take him to the village, thinking that he would heal naturally. But then his condition deteriorated. We realised too late that he had suffered a blow to the head when he fell’. A long-term multidisciplinary approach was adopted to help Folly regain his mental and psychomotor balance: « We began treatment in Ghana, then continued at the CHR Atakpamé, where a neurologist, an orthopaedist and a physiotherapist followed him ».

Folly, smiling, in a wheelchair, having difficulty expressing himself, was finally taken to Bethesda Hospital in Agou Nyogbo for a scan.Sister Honorine was very pleased with the diagnosis.  According to the radiology technician, Folly has problems with balance or movement coordination, a state of obnubilation, i.e. impaired judgement and slowed intellectual functions with slow or absent responses to questions, and memory problems.Specific treatments will be carried out to restore mental equilibrium.

Satisfied population

Bethesda Hospital in Agou Nyogbo is committed to providing quality care and remaining at the forefront of medical technology to meet the growing needs of the community. The scanner is a relief for many patients. Patients are happy, says Dr Etiam Koffi Sowu, Director of Bethesda Hospital.   « We are convinced that the population is satisfied. Since the arrival of the scanner, patients have been reassured that they can undergo examinations in their own region.The scanner has come at just the right time to meet their needs for medical care.There are many advantages, especially in terms of cost and proximity.  Many people are relieved by the 24-hour availability of the scanner », he stresses.

Positive results

From November 2023 to April 2024, the results are positive, according to Yendoukoa Laré, Senior Radiology and Medical Imaging Technician at Bethesda Hospital in Agou-Nyogbo.Dr Etiam Koffi Sowu also agrees. « The results are obviously positive, as our scanner is the only one of its kind in the Plateaux region. Before it was installed, it was difficult for patients to travel all the way to Lomé for an examination.Today, the region's hospitals benefit from this equipment, which considerably improves patient care.Examination results are rapid, and patients receive appropriate care.We're very pleased with the results », says the director of Bethesda Hospital. The hospital has registered 404 patients for various examinations, including brain and chest scans.

Improving diagnosis

The scans were used to detect various illnesses and anomalies. « As far as illnesses are concerned, many patients who have suffered a stroke have benefited rapidly from the scanner. This has led to effective treatment. People with head injuries, fractures, contusions and wounds were also diagnosed. The arrival of the automatic injector has enabled us to carry out examinations with injections, which was not previously possible in the Plateaux region. This advance is very useful for our scanner examinations », stresses Yendoukoa Laré.

Challenges ahead

Despite the number of cases recorded over the past 6 months, the radiology department is facing a number of challenges. « At the moment, I'm the only technician, but with the influx of patients, we need to increase our workforce to ensure optimum efficiency », explains Yendoukoa Laré.

« We're open 24/7 to meet the growing demand.Despite a few delays due to overcrowding or the availability of technicians, we strive to satisfy all our patients.We also hope to be able to install a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner at the hospital to complement our services », reiterates Dr Etiam Sowu.

The opening of this scanner is a welcome relief for the public and potential patients, given how rare it is in Togo's health facilities, the problems surrounding its operation, and the high cost of the service.

William O.