US$30 000 lab machine commissioned

Herald Reporter
A non-governmental organi-sation running a clinic for the disadvantaged in Harare has commissioned a laboratory machine with the capacity to run 46 different tests.
The TC matrix chemistry analyser — worth US$30 000 — is said to be the first of its kind in Zimbabwe and runs HIV, hepatitis, pregnancy, blood sugar, cholesterol, malaria, liver and kidney function tests.
Clinic of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran managing director, Dr Amin Hamidzadeh, said the machine is very efficient and can run 250 tests an hour.
Dr Hamidzadeh added that results of each test are obtainable in 30 minutes.
“It has the ability to run 250 tests in an hour as compared to others which can run an average of 60 to 70 tests.
“The analyser can cater for 2 000 patients in a day,” he said.
Apart from offering affordable services, the clinic — run by the Islamic Republic of Iran — also offers gynaecology and dental services.
Where private institutions charge about US$40 per consultation, the Clinic of the Red Crescent Society charges US$15 for two visits to a gynaecologist.
The general practitioner consultation fee is $5, half what is charged by many other doctors.
Dr Hamidzadeh said they had plans to start offering male circumcision services.
“We do not operate at a profit thus the amount charged for consultation is low.”
He lamented the limited space at the clinic as the numbers of patients being attended to continues to grow.
On average, the clinic attends to 60 patients daily.
“We used to have two pregnant women coming to us in a month but now we have at least two coming in a week,” Dr Hamidzadeh said.
He said they had appealed to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare for allocation of more space.