The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) has raised the alarm about obsolete X-ray equipment in hospitals.
Its Director General, Dr. Yau Idris, who expressed concern over this situation, noted that over 60% of X-ray equipment are not functioning.
He dropped hint in Abuja during his welcome address at the National Workshop on Radiation Protection of Patients and the Public Medical Application of Nuclear Technology for Senior Managers of Hospitals, Medical Centres and Launching of the NNRA Safe-XRay Platform.
According to him, most of the X-rays machines in Nigeria are obsolete, having aged between 10 to 60 years.
He added that the equipment are even operated under sub optimal conditions.
Alluding to an investigation from which a report of the Authority elicited the facts and figures, Idris said: “Several investigations by NNRA show that there is an alarming high number of over 60 of different brand of X-ray equipment in the country, with six brand responsible for 70% of all X-ray machines.
“Most of the X-ray equipment in the country are obsolete: their ages range from 10 to 60 years. And these equipment are operated under sub optimal conditions.”
The NNRA also lamented that second hand X-rays equipment are imported into the country without a view of the age and the availability of the spare parts.
On malfunctioning X-rays machines, he said: “Investigation also shows high level of dis-repairs. Over 60% of X-ray machines in the country are not functioning.”
He added that the report also revealed that inadequate number of qualified professionals for medical purpose in the country.
He stressed that there is also inadequate number of application of iodixizing radiation service providers.
This, he said, has culminated in poor personnel radiation monitoring in all radio-diagnostic centres.
He also disclosed that number of reported cases of radiological incidents and accidents in Nigerian hospitals has been on the rise.
The NNRA boss said “radiological nuclear medicine in our hospitals are underfunded.
” In fact they have reported two cases of radiation incidents involving radiation workers in a tertiary institution in the country. One personnel died and the other remains critical.”
Idris added that experts in Nigeria
have reported maladministration radiation cases in one of the radiological facilities in the country.
Proffering a solution, he submitted that “these unfolding events require the enforcement of regulatory requirements for better radiodiagnostic and radiotherapy practice in the country.”
He added that plans were underway to approach about six manufacturers of the X-ray machines to establish their service centres in Nigeria.
Asked why the situation persisted, he explained that it was mostly in public hospitals where half of the machines are not working.
He noted that bureaucracy delays implementation such as repair of faulty machines.
Speaking, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said medical practices involving the use of ionizing radiation is the largest contributor to human exposure from man-made sources of radiation.
Represented by the Director, Human Resource, Dr. Famous Eseduwa, he said “today in Nigeria about 50 million diagnostic X-ray examinations are being carried out and about 3000 radiation therapy patients treated annually.
“In fact, nearly everyone in our urban areas shall undergo exposure to X-ray for medical diagnostic purpose in his or her lifetime.
“Therefore, it is important radiation safety standards are adhered to in order to optimize doses to the patients, workers and the public.”
According to him, in the health sector, the agency is the only regulatory body saddled with the responsibility of regulating and licensing activities and facilities such as Radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine and X-ray.
NNRA, he said, has taken steps to emplace a proper regulatory framework, within the context of its enabling Act which is achieved through a system of registration, licensing and inspection of these facilities and activities.
Sylva noted that the agency is always ready to engage stakeholders and discuss overall enforcement of compliance with provisions of the Act.
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