NICRAT trains engineers, physicists on radiotherapy equipment maintenance

The Nigeria Institute of Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has trained biomedical engineers and medical physicists across the six geo-political zones on the effective maintenance of radiotherapy equipment and cancer treatment planning techniques.

Speaking at the capacity building programme organised by the institute in Abuja, the Director General of NICRAT, Prof Usman Aliyu, said that NICRAT is saddled with the responsibility of providing effective and efficient leadership in cancer research, treatment and control in the country.

Aliyu noted that the training is part of the mandate of the institute, considering the contribution of biomedical engineers and medical physicists in the care and treatment of all forms of cancer.

He assured all stakeholders in the cancer space and Nigerians that NICRAT will continue to train and retrain all relevant healthcare personnel to improve their capacity for greater productivity and optimal performance in cancer treatment.

Aliyu recalled that the institute recently trained health experts drawn from primary and secondary health facilities on cervical cancer referral and psycho-oncology in the six geo-political zones of the country, leveraging the support of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Former Head, Biomedical Engineering at the National Hospital, John Ikedi, noted the absence of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) representatives in the maintenance units of the cancer centres, adding that when any equipment breaks down, they depend on in-house engineers for solutions.

Ikedi said in-house engineers are the first source of help whenever the equipment develops problems and have the routine task of ensuring that the machines are suitable for cancer treatment daily.