Radiographers sue GHS for 10-day engineering jobs

Health News Monday, April 22, 2019

Source: 3news.com

2019-04-22

The Ghana Society of Radiographers has threatened a lawsuit to oppose the decision of Ghana's health service to employ biomedical engineers trained for just 10 days to use of a digital radiography equipment installed throughout the country.

The Company baderts that the act constitutes an illegality and could also jeopardize the quality of the delivery of health care in the country if it is not reversed.

In a press release dated April 22, 2019 and signed by National President Prince Rockson, radiographers fear that the consequences of the action will be catastrophic.

"I want to draw the attention of the general public to an illegal act carried out by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) with other stakeholders (Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANR), Institute for Protection against (RPI), National Tuberculosis Program and Universal DELFT). are taking measures that will be detrimental to the health system of this country, "the statement said.

Recalling the genesis of the problem, radiographers reported that the head of the national tuberculosis program had informed them in 2016 of the roll-out of digital radiography equipment in Ghana for the tuberculosis case-finding project.

According to them, the project did not take into account the human resources necessary to use the machine before the arrival of the equipment. The "SGH quickly went to the NRA to grant them a waiver to train anyone from all walks of life in the field of radiation safety."

They said the move did not welcome them because they were professionals in this area. They therefore hired the Director General of the GHS, who accepted that 45 radiographers be submitted "for later submission to the Ministry of Finance for financial approval". but only two have crossed.

However, it appeared later, in August 2018, that some biomedical engineers had been selected to be trained for 10 days at the work of licensed health practitioners holding rigorous training at accredited universities for 4 years, this what the radiographers resisted.

According to them, the project was interrupted until April of this year when the finances of 20 radiographers and 24 biomedical engineers were released thanks to the efforts of the GHS.

But radiographers do not see why biomedical engineers should be trained for just 10 days to do a job that only qualified and licensed radiographers should do.

Radiographers therefore advise "to be wary of where they undergo X-ray examinations, including public hospitals, and advise everyone to exercise due diligence in verifying whether staff are qualified and authorized to practice by the public. Allied Health Profession Profession Council ".

In the meantime, they referred the matter to the Ministry of Health and the Attorney General.