Training as a Major Challenge to Sustainable Development of Radiotherapy Practice in Nigeria

摘要

Radiotherapy has been practised in Nigeria for over three decades. The absence of a nuclearrnregulatory body over the period has manifested in the inefficacious and unsafe practice. The newly establishedrnNigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) carried out radiological audit inspections in all the fivernradiotherapy centres in the country. The revelation from this exercise shows that there is acute shortage ofrnradiation protection officers, therapy nurses, radiographers and medical physicists. The few available arernoverworked and have little time to improve their competences. As a result, radiation protection and clinicalrnradio-dosimetry are best regarded as some accessories to the crux of the radiotherapy practice. Consequently, thernradiation protection and medical physics practitioners are not regarded as equal partners in the radiotherapy teamrnand may therefore not enjoy the confidence and respect of the hospital management. In the end, the efficacy andrnsafety of radiotherapy practice are jeopardized. It is in an effort to stem this tide that the NNRA embarked on arnseries of enlightenment programmes to awaken all the stakeholders to the gradual collapse of radiotherapy andrnthe need to take positive action towards a sustainable radiotherapy practice in the country. At the end of arnWorkshop for Senior Medical Doctors, a strong appeal was made to the Federal Government of Nigeria and thernInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to support a vigorous national training and retraining programmernfor radiation protection officers, medical physicists, radiographers and radiotherapy nurses. This is possiblernwithin the framework of AFRA and other Agency TC programmes in particular and other multilateralrncooperation programmes in general.