Nigeria has fewer radiography centres than it need for its over 190 million people. This is worsened by the lack of trained personnel in the sector.
Meanwhile, experts have gathered at the 51st annual conference and scientific workshop of the Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN), a three-day conference held in Lagos with the theme: Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine; prospects and challenges, to begin to look inward and develop ideas and ways that will serve their patients better and improve radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services in Nigeria.
“The provision of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services in Nigeria is sub-optimal. Not more than 10 centre offer radiotherapy services in Nigeria; out of which two are privately owned. Nuclear medicine is worse, with less than five centres,” said Ike Nwachukwu, grand patron of the Association of Radiographer of Nigeria.
According to Nwachukwu, severe dearth of manpower also exists as a challenge, stating that in the midst of this scenario, the prevalence of cancer is on the rise with high morbidity in Nigeria.
“This conference, therefore, provides a viable forum to chart the way forward for the development and nurture of these salient aspect of Radiotherapy practice in Nigeria. As radiographers, you are therefore called upon to formulate implementable programs for government’s adoption in this all-important field,” he said.
However, the annual conference and scientific workshop of ARN has grown over the years to become an epicentre of an intellectual and professional hub where the growth of radiography profession is shaped and remodelled.
Elizabeth Balogun, president of ARN, said this year’s the theme puts us in check of our responsibilities to ourselves and the public, stating that there was more to healthcare delivery than acquisition of equipment, and there must be adequate retraining for the end users and conducive environment to practice.
“The current brain drain is no longer news because at least one radiographer leaves the shores of this Lagos State every day. This is quite worrisome in a country where there is less than 3000 radiographers to a population of 190 million,” she said.
Nneoyi Egbe, a professor of radiography and medical physics, said Nigeria had the capacity to have a radiography centre each in every state, but the country lacked of political will and not only with the government but everyone even when we had the capacity.
“I use this opportunity to call on the federal government to match the aggressive program of medical/radiographic equipment acquisition embarked upon, especially Lagos and its environs with a commensurate employment and training of the much-needed radiographers to complement the delivery of service to our teaming patients who have the right to healthcare,” Balogun said.
However, Ike Onuoha, certified nuclear medical technologist from Los Angeles, a guest speaker who spoke on nuclear medicine, said nuclear medicine was a field of medicine that uses small quantities of perishable radioactive sources for diagnosis and treatment, noting that it was safe.
Onuoha said diagnostic nuclear medicine equipment such as “gamma” (SPECT) cameras and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners provide complementary information to CT and MRI, while Nuclear Medicine therapies ensure non-invasive targeted treatment of many cancers including prostate and thyroid carcinomas.
“In recent times, Lagos has witnessed major investments in health with increasing life expectancy and westernisation among Nigerians, as well as increased investments in health infrastructure, it is likely that the demand for Nuclear Medicine will increase,” he said.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH
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