Assessment of Ultrasound Machine Operational Status and Quality Assurance Practices in General Hospitals in Anambra State

Diagnostic ultrasound is one of the most widely used medical imaging modalities in Nigerian general hospitals, particularly for obstetric and abdominal assessments, yet quality assurance practices for ultrasound equipment in Anambra State general hospitals are poorly documented. This study assesses the operational status and quality assurance practices for ultrasound machines at eight general hospitals in Anambra State, covering facilities in Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia. Data were collected through direct machine inspection, structured interviews with sonographers and radiographers, and review of service and maintenance records. The American College of Radiology ultrasound quality control checklist was adapted as the assessment instrument. Findings show that of thirty-four ultrasound machines surveyed across the eight facilities, twenty-two (64.7%) were operational at the time of inspection. Of the non-operational machines, five had been out of service for over six months and two for more than two years. Formal quality assurance testing including tissue phantom scanning for spatial resolution and depth penetration was practiced at only one facility. Transducer cleaning and disinfection protocols were inconsistently applied, with high-level disinfection for endocavitary probes absent at three facilities. Service contract coverage was available for only eleven of the operational machines. The study identifies inadequate preventive maintenance, spare parts unavailability, and absence of resident biomedical engineers as the primary barriers to optimal ultrasound service delivery. Recommendations include establishment of a state-level medical equipment maintenance pool and sonographer-led basic quality control programmes. Keywords: ultrasound machine, quality assurance, operational status, general hospitals, Anambra State.