Unnecessary x-ray requests overwhelming

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.