Radiographers decries quackery in laboratories, tertiary institutions

The Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria says the country is fast becoming a dumping ground for all manners of radiographic equipment and unqualified personnel in laboratories and tertiary institutions.

Radiographers are allied health professionals who take x-rays and other medical images to assist doctors in diagnosing diseases and injuries. They are also known as medical imaging technologists.

The group decried the rate of quackery in some laboratories in the country at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.

Speaking at the meeting recently, the Governing Council Chairman, Hon. Abdulfatai Bakre, said a lot of dangers were embedded with running laboratories with quacks.

Bakre also expressed concern that most laboratories in the country were operated with inadequate radiographers.

He said, “I would like to call on the employers of labour, in public and private laboratories to encourage good radiography practices through appropriate equipment procurement, employment of qualified registered radiographers with requisite skills and professionalism with commensurate remuneration.

“Nigeria is fast becoming a dumping ground for all manners of radiographic equipment and unqualified foreigners which will not augur well for our health care and medical practice.

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“This unholy practice is aided by some stakeholders who are mostly Nigerians, for their selfish reason.

“It is quite absurd to note that most of the state, private and Federal Government-owned hospitals and diagnostic centres are grossly understaffed despite the fact that there are more than enough qualified radiographers out there awaiting employment.”

Also, the RRBN Registrar, Prof. Mark Okeji, noted that the body had prosecuted some quacks in the profession while several laboratories had been shut down.