By Hassan Hussain
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, NICRAT, in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, has commenced a regional training programme on quality assurance in nuclear medicine.
The training, which is taking place in Abuja, is aimed at strengthening the capacity of nuclear medicine professionals and improving the quality and safety of cancer diagnosis and treatment across the region.
Declaring the programme open, the Director-General of NICRAT, Professor Usman Aliyu, said nuclear medicine is becoming increasingly important in the fight against cancer, particularly in accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring of patients.
Professor Aliyu stressed that the delivery of safe and effective nuclear medicine services requires not only advanced technology, but also competent professionals, robust quality management systems, and a strong culture of continuous improvement.
He described the training as timely, noting that its practical focus on quality management processes, audit preparation, and the use of standard checklists would provide participants with tools that could be applied directly in their respective institutions.
The NICRAT Director-General said the Institute considers capacity building fundamental to improving cancer outcomes in Nigeria and beyond.
According to him, NICRAT has intensified capacity-building initiatives and has so far trained more than two thousand healthcare professionals, including nuclear medicine specialists, across the country.
Professor Aliyu urged participants to actively engage with the faculty, share experiences from their various institutions, and ensure that knowledge gained from the programme is translated into stronger quality assurance systems.
He expressed appreciation to the International Atomic Energy Agency for its continued partnership and support in strengthening Nigeria’s nuclear medicine capacity.
Also speaking, an IAEA representative, Dr. Terez Sera, said international experts had been assembled to share their expertise and experiences with participants throughout the training.
Dr. Sera expressed optimism that the programme would also provide an opportunity for the experts to learn from the experiences of professionals from participating African countries.
She said the IAEA was committed to supporting the development of nuclear medicine capacity and quality assurance systems in the region.
The regional training programme brings together nuclear medicine professionals and experts from several African countries to promote best practices and strengthen quality management in nuclear medicine services.
