Unnecessary x-ray requests overwhelming

Princess Marina Hospital
Princess Marina Hospital

Head of Radiography Unit at Princess Marina Hospital Masego Tabengwa has expressed concern at the alarming rate of unnecessary x-ray requests in the country. Tabengwa who also heads the radiography unit countrywide said that this is due to lack of proper induction for clinicians and knowledge.

Speaking at a radiation awareness workshop this week, Tabengwa said that there is need for proper induction and training of clinicians to make calculated and justified x-ray requests. The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Health through the Greater Gaborone District Health Management Team (DHMT) to sensitise health care workers about the effects of radiation. 

“This would help them to know how to manage patients who come and want to be scanned unnecessarily. They will know better if their patient needs an x-ray,” she said. She indicated that many x-rays expose patients and the staff to radiation rays that are dangerous to their health. Tabengwa also said that unnecessary requests lead to machine overload while it is also very expensive for government to install the necessary equipment and power supply for the operation of x-ray equipment. She conceded that there is a critical shortage of radiologists as currently Marina has only two local radiologists. She said that there is need for the inclusion of Radiology in the curriculum of training institutions.

Editor's Comment
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