The Bauchi State Government has procured 13 portable digital X-ray machines worth $1.9 million for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis across the state.
Dr. Adamu Sambo, Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (BACATMA), disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a facility tour of the state’s External Quality Assurance Reference Laboratory.
According to him, each of the machines costs over $150,000 and is designed specifically for TB diagnosis.
“The machines are mobile. Once logistics are provided, tests can be conducted in one location and then moved to another for the same purpose,” he said.
Dr. Sambo explained that the technology allows the machines to instantly detect tuberculosis through high-resolution chest imaging, noting that five of them are already being used in mobile testing across various facilities, while the rest have been deployed to strategic locations.
He added that the machines produce high-quality images with minimal radiation exposure compared to conventional X-ray systems.
“Their exposure to radiation is very minimal compared to the older machines we have been using,” he said.
The BACATMA chairman noted that Bauchi currently has the highest number of such machines in the North-East, attributing the development to Governor Bala Mohammed’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the state.
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He further explained that the Bauchi State External Quality Assurance Reference Lab offers free testing for HIV, tuberculosis, and blood grouping, and urged intending couples to use the facility before marriage.
“These are some of the wonders of the state governor for the people of Bauchi State. All testing kits and consumables in this lab are provided by the state government,” Sambo added.
