Unnecessary x-ray requests overwhelming
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Wednesday April 27, 2016 11:43
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.
Senior radiation inspector at the Radiation Protection Inspectorate said that radiation doses in Botswana are high when they are placed against the country’s population. She cautioned those who are not knowledgeable about radiation to stay away from making x-ray requests as they may put people’s lives in danger. She encouraged medical practitioners to justify the need to request for scanning and leave the radiologist to choose the best clinical x-ray modality.