Radiology services still too expensive for many patients —Expert

A medical expert, Professor Abiodun Adeyinka, has said decades after different imaging modalities such as Computed Tomographic (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners revolutionised diagnosis and treatment of diseases, its affordability still presents a great challenge to many patients in Nigeria that needs them.

Professor Adeyinka said this in his inaugural lecture entitled ‘Vascular and Neuro-Imaging: Densities, Pitched and Spins’ at the University of Ibadan.

He said: “There are limited resources to acquire facilities coupled with paucity of knowledge and skills in this special area of imaging due to poor funding, and lack of a sustainable human capacity development training programmes.

“Most of the government and state-owned hospital in the country lack the capacity to directly purchase these pieces of equipment because of their high cost which often exceeds the whole budgetary allocation to the hospital.

“In (Nigeria), most of these new imaging technology equipment is predominantly domiciled in the private diagnostic health centres and hospitals. However, affordability of cost of examinations in these centres still presents a great challenge to many pateints.”

To ensure their affordability, he said that the federal government should recognise the potential and capabilities of private health sector managers in elevating standard of healthcare delivery in the country.

“Partnership with radiological equipment manufacturers/vendors for wet leasing under a well-structured approved Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement will guarantee the acquisition of quality radiological equipment, training and maintenance package,” he said.

Professor Adeyinka also suggested funding and sponsorships for human capacity development and radiology training through local and international collaboration with relevant institutions.

He added “ the major challenge to radiology all over the world is the heavy reliance of radiology education and health service delivery on the availability of new imaging technological equipment for support.”