Authorities have raised an alarm over the prolonged breakdown of critical medical equipment at the Tumu Municipal Hospital in the Sissala East Municipality of the Upper West region, warning that the situation is placing the lives of patients, particularly those with liver and kidney conditions, at serious risk.

At the centre of the crisis is the hospital’s clinical chemistry analyser—a vital diagnostic machine—which has been out of service for several months. The equipment is essential for conducting key laboratory tests used in diagnosing and monitoring chronic conditions.

The breakdown has forced patients to travel long distances to access testing services, a burden health officials say is both costly and dangerous, as delays in diagnosis and treatment could worsen medical conditions.

Medical Superintendent of the facility, Joshua Amekia Ayaraga, says the situation is adversely affecting healthcare delivery at the hospital, particularly in the management of kidney-related conditions.

“Due to the situation, patients now have to travel outside the district to perform these important tests and bring the results back for interpretation. This complicates care and delays the diagnosis of kidney-related conditions,” he explained.

He added that kidney diseases have become increasingly common in the area, making access to timely and accurate testing even more critical.

“This area of kidney disease has been very rampant in the community. We believe if the analyser is fixed, these specific tests can be run here to support early diagnosis and treatment,” he noted.

Authorities warn that the absence of reliable diagnostic tools could lead to misdiagnosis or delayed interventions, ultimately compromising patient outcomes and eroding public confidence in the healthcare system.

Health officials are therefore calling for urgent intervention to repair or replace the faulty equipment to restore full laboratory services and improve healthcare delivery in the municipality.