Radiologists in the country have advocated for the establishment of at least three Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) centres in each of the states of the Federation.
According to the Association of Radiologists in Nigeria (ARIN), this will help reduce the distance a patient needs to cover to access the services.
ARIN is an association of specialist doctors in the field of radiology, with over 300 members spread across the entire country. The association, which is an affiliate of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) was formed about seven years ago.
ARIN President, Prof. Sule Ahmed Saidu, who disclosed this at the just concluded 4th Annual General Meeting of the group, urged the Federal government to invest in radiological equipment as it is cost intensive.
He said, “We want to also urge the government to try to provide the necessary equipment that will sustain our training and also ensure that we keep our best manpower so that we can continue to provide the necessary healthcare services to the teeming populations of Nigerians that are in dire need of such services.
“We are not near enough at all. Most of the trained radiologists are in the urban centres. That also brings to mind the need for the devolution of some of these necessary radiological equipment to the grassroot. I think the government needs to begin to think of the provision of these hitech equipment along senatorial districts. I am looking at a situation where, at least in a state we should have an MRI machine if its possible one in each senatorial district but certainly, we should not have less than a machine in each of the senatorial district so that the distance an average Nigerian needed to travel to be able to access some of these services is shortened because many of these patients actually need these services acutely or on an emergency basis.
“The longer the distance, the more precarious the conditions of the patients and its outcomes.”
He also added, “We intend to provide, going forward, data on available radiological modalities across the country in due course so that Nigerians can know what facility is where and we should be appropriately guided to be able to access those services.”
Stressing the importance of radiology services in treatment of patients, Prof. Saidu said, “Radiology is necessary in diagnoses but apart from proper diagnoses which is an integral part of successful treatment of diseases, radiology is very important in the control and follow up of patients.
“One of the surest ways you can monitor such patients is radiologically. Radiology is important and as it is always said, radiologists are doctors. Also, globally, radiology is the most contemporary of all the medical fields. We also dictate the status of health facilities because by the nature of radiology equipment that most health facilities are rated.”
ARIN boss therefore urged the Federal and state government to pay particular attention to the practice.
“We are urging the government to pay particular attention to the practice of radiology and the provision of radiological equipment because they are very expensive and we also expect that philanthropists will come in here to also assist the government.
“We want to commend the Federal government for the different radiological equipment that they have provided in different health facilities, but we want to also commended particularly states government that have established diagnostic centres across the country and those that have stocked their health facilities with appropriate radiological equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging machine, etc.
“We hope that the government will continue to do these for the effectiveness and efficiency of our healthcare service delivery.”
