IAEA Conference December 2017
Radiation Protection in Medicine Achieving Change in Practice
Report By:Donna Newman B.A. RT ( R ) CNMT FASRT, Director of Professional Practice ISRRT
Napapong Pongnapang, Vice President of ISRRT Asia and Australasia
Donna Newman, Director of Profession Practice ISRRT and Napapong Pongnapang, Vice President for Asia and Australasia ISRRT attended the conference representing the ISRRT the week of Dec 11-15 to represent the radiographers global voice along with other stakeholders to discuss the Bonn Call for Action and review successes and gaps. Stakeholders were asked to determine how they can contribute or improve and help facilitate the success to the Bonn Call for Action. Finally, the conference was a way for stakeholder to review actions and developments since the Bonn Conference with focus on progress in response to it call for Action. The conference participates reviewed and discussed overall approaches such as guidance documents, training material and electronic tools which has impacted radiation protection. All areas of radiology were covered with a one-track system so all stakeholder could engage in the panel discussion to help determine a toolkit that still may be needed to help record the progress of the Bonn Call for Action by 2022.
Donna Newman presented the ISRRT’s activities and Priorities influenced by the Bonn Call for Action and its implementation during the opening session of the International Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine on where professional organizations and stakeholders presented the activities and priorities that briefing session.
The Conference was organized by the IAEA and co-sponsored by the WHO and PAHO with over 600 participants and observers representing 106 countries and 17 organizations from around the world. There were 300 abstracts submitted for consideration for this conference and 200 research papers. The overall objective of the conference is to review the electronic tool
Donna Newman also presented in session 4 Radiation Protection of Patients, Staff and the Public in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine and Hybrid Imaging the summary of research papers that were contributed to this session and served as a panelist representing the technologist voice in the open forum session on this topic with the audience.
Napapong Paongnapang presented in session 5 Radiation Protection in Medical Exposures of Children and pregnant Women, the summary of research papers that were contributed to this session as well as served as a panelist representing the technologist voice on this issue during the panel discussion with the audience.
Asia Region Workshop November 2017
Regional workshop on safety culture in healthcare for Asian and Pacific countries.
Napapong Pongnapang, Vice President for Asia and Australasia, ISRRT
Dr. Napapong Pongnapang, Vice President for Asia and Australasia, represented radiographer profession (ISRRT) at the 5th IRPA-IOMP-WHO regional workshop on safety culture in healthcare for Asian and Pacific countries. The conference was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia during 8-10 November 2017. Representatives from professional groups including radiologist, medical physicist, radiographer and regulators were attended and provide professional opinion on the issues related to safety culture.
During the workshop, there were several issues regarding radiation safety culture among different stakeholders in health sciences. Discussion was made on how each profession could contribute to the safety of patients in radiological procedures. Napapong did discuss on radiographer’s role throughout the patient journey with emphasis on justification and optimization of medical exposure. The role of ISRRT was also presented, especially the organization’s action in response to the Bonn Call for Action.
Workshop on Rad.Protection in Africa December 2017
JUSTIFICATION OF RADIOLOGICAL PROCEDURES AND OPTIMIZATION OF PROTECTION OF PATIENTS AND WORKERS ; AN ISRRT-CHESNEY CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP IN AFRICA 11-14 DECEMBER 2017 – ABIDJAN COTE D’IVOIRE
Boniface YAO, Regional Director Africa
As of December from the 11th to 14th, took place in Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire, an ISRRT sponsored workshop. The session namely ISRRT-CHESNEY capacity building workshop, was hosted by the National Association of radiographers(ANTIMCI).
Following the ISRRT’s response to Bonn call for action, it has been decided to deal with justification of practice and optimization of radiation protection and patients and workers.
The venue was the Amphithéâtre Dr. Bruce STRUMINGER at the National Institute or health Agents (INFAS). The event gathered 50 participants from 5 french speaking African countries out of 8 expected.
The conference approved by the Ivorian Ministry of health was patroned by the General Director of Health Pr DAGNAN Simplice representing the Minister and co-chaired by the General Director of the National authority of radiation protection Pr GOFFRY Marie Chantal and the General Director of health training institute, Pr N’DAHTZ Meliane E. epse SANOGO
The training was composed of four sessions.
The inaugural lecture on basic radiation physics was provided by a local expert of IAEA, Pr Monnehan Georges Alain, Director of nuclear physics and radiation protection Laboratory, university Felix Houphouet Boigny Abidjan.
The second part, managed by Pr N’ZI Kouassi Paul, radiologist and IAEA project coordinator for patients safety, dealt with radiation protection of patients.
The third part focused on radiation protection of workers was taught by Mr Robert AZIAGBA a radiation protection Officer from Togo. This session was completed by skills lab performed by the trainer and participants and consisted of dose measurement and quality control procedure The workshop was practical oriented and aims at teaching the participants a methodology to organize and assure radiation protection for patients and staff at a radiology department through elaboration of sustainable projects.
Therefore, the fourth session focused on Project management. To help all delegates conceive radiation protection projects for their local settings.
This workshop has been an opportunity for radiographers to develop skills and update their knowledge in radiation protection. A follow-up survey will be carried out to evaluate the impact.
This project is part of the ISRRT action plan to echo Bon call for action in Africa. Therefore, the present workshop will be replicated in English speaking Africa in 2018.
