School of Radiology needs help

Accra, Nov. 24, GNA - The absence of a demonstration room, equipped with all the needed teaching aids and equipment for the School of Radiologic Technology, has affected lectures and students' final output of service delivery, Mrs Harriet Duah, Principal of the school said on Monday.

Speaking at the launch of the radiography week of the school in Accra, Mrs Duah said the school, established in the 1951, and the only school training personnel for x-ray services had only one lecture room for three sets of classes and "we ran lectures without any demonstration room to teach students the practical aspects".

She said the demonstration room should have had demonstration aids like X-ray phartoms, human skeleton, films and screens and dental radiography machine to enhance the practical aspect of the radiography.

She said, "this is an important part of the training which the school is lacking since its establishment".

The week, which is under the theme: "Radiography: The backbone of medical diagnosis," will involve programmes such as talk shows, float and fun games.

Mrs Duah noted that many people, even in the medical circles were ignorant of the need of X-ray and the existence of radiography in the medical field.

She said there were many hospitals and clinics without trained personnel to use X-ray equipment available, adding that "the intake should have been more but the conditions are not favourable and we hope something would be done about it soon".

Mr John Odartey, School Representative Council (SRC) president, who mentioned the numerous problems of the school from lack of accommodation, transportation to library, accreditation and inadequate number of lecturers, said the situation has affected their academic performance.

He called on the Ministry of Health to provide the school with permanent lecturers since, "what we have are all part-time lecturers who have to forgo their working hours to come and lecture".

Mr Odartey also appealed to the Ministry to facilitate the process of accrediting the school to a diploma level.

Mr Lawrence Arthur, Principal Radiography in charge of CT Scan of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital said the radiology week was not only about showcasing the practice of using x-raying to produce medical diagnostic images but also to depict the embodiment of what was involved in the training, development and retention of the personnel.

He reiterated the need for people to know the need of x-ray in the medical field to enhance the service delivery.