A Chinese medical team has repaired and restored a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner at Juba Teaching Hospital after the machine remained out of service for about 10 months, hospital authorities said.
As the only CT scanner available at Juba Teaching Hospital, the machine suffered a sudden breakdown and ceased operation completely in November 2025.
Core‑hardware failures involving several detector modules were compounded by chewed‑and‑damaged critical optical‑fiber cables due to rampant rat infestations inside the hospital; the combination of multiple problems completely paralyzed the equipment.
For CT scans, residents had to turn to expensive private‑sector facilities, which were unaffordable for ordinary households.
Zhao Yao, Deputy Head of CT Scanner Operations, said the equipment suffered complex and extensive damage caused by multiple overlapping malfunctions.
“The problem is very complicated. One, because the power is not very stable. Power off, power on, it is very easy to get the machine broken down, out of work,” he explained. “Another very important problem is caused by the rats.”
Yao said he received remote technical guidance from senior engineers based in China while conducting on-site inspections, which enabled him to identify the problem and successfully repair the machine.
“We have just arrived here. Once we know the problem, our doctor and engineer communicate with the engineer in China,” he said. “Under the instruction of the Chinese engineer, our local engineer here cooperates, and we get the problem addressed.”
He said the equipment operated stably after being restarted and produced clear, standard-quality images, adding that 10 patients have so far undergone scans since the machine was restored.
This life‑saving piece of equipment is once again providing local people with accurate and efficient imaging diagnostic services, effectively alleviating the long‑standing medical‑access hardships faced by residents.
This successful repair of the machine by the 14th batch of the Chinese medical team has revived accurate large-scale imaging examinations at the hospital. Critically ill patients suffering from cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction and other emergencies can now receive timely identification of underlying conditions, greatly improving treatment outcomes.
Lero Anna, a radiology technologist at Juba Teaching Hospital, noted that the CT scanner broke down due to persistent power outages and implored the hospital management to secure a stable emergency power supply to mitigate damage to the CT scanner.
“The CT scan machine was really helping, but then we had issues with the electricity. You could be scanning a patient, and then the electricity just goes off, which stops the machine from working,” she said. “Most times, the temperature of the machine would be really high, which affects how it works. So, usually we need it to cool down, and then we put it off.”
She said that since the repair, the facility now receives between eight and 10 patients per day for CT scans.
“The big issue is just with the electricity,” Anna said. “If that can be fixed, then the department will run well, and we will be able to help more patients because, on average, we help about 8 to 10 patients in a day.”
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