Operators of radio-active facilities and users of radiation materials in the southeast zone have been enjoined to support the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority’s (NNRA) initiative to effectively regulate the industry.
The NNRA coordinator, southeast zone, Mr. Adamu Abdul made the appeal in Umuahia during a one-day workshop organized by the Agency for stakeholders in Abia. He added that there was need for collaboration among the stakeholders to protect the users of ionizing radiation whether they are radiation workers, patients or members of the public.
Adamu further said that the authority relied on the Ministry of Health in the zone for the necessary support and collaboration, adding that plans were underway by the Agency to open state offices as he explained that the zonal office of the authority embarked on the sensitization of the stakeholders in the area to solicit their cooperation to bring ionizing radiation users under regulatory control.
Abdul restated that at the end of the sensitization, the organization would commence the pre-authorization of hospitals and all the users of ionizing radiation in the zone with a view to bringing them under regulatory control.
He stated additionally that in order to effectively embark on a pilot survey for inventory to enable the Agency ascertain the number of radio-active machines in the area, such pre-authorization of hospitals will be carried out.
Abdul also appealed to owners of private and public health institutions in the zone using radio-active equipment, to allow officials of the authority easy access to their facilities during the pilot survey because denying our people access will be a breach of the law and this will force the authority to take a legal action against such a licensee.
The State Director of Medical Services, Dr. Ukah Orji, thanked the organization for organizing the workshop, saying that it should be made a regular event to enlighten the stakeholders on the activities of the agency since there are more than 20 private institutions that use X-ray equipment in the State, adding that they needed to know the minimum standard requirement by the Agency.
The Chief Executive of the State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Anele Agu, who represented the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah, described the job of the Agency as daunting and challenging and expressed the need for the agency to establish State offices and also beef up its staff size to be able to effectively regulate the activities of ionizing radiation facility operators in the zone.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the HMB, State Security Service and the Specialist Hospital/Diagnostic Centre, Umuahia.
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