Oyo: RRBN nabs seven fake radiographers, shuts eight scan centres
The Ministry of Health, through the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN) on Thursday, arrested seven fake radiographers and sealed off eight substandard Diagnostics Centres and hospitals in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The enforcement team, led by the Head of inspection and monitoring of the board, Mr. Onwuegbuchi Ebere Obinna said the desire of the Registrar/CEO of the board, Prof. Mark Okeji was to ensure the preponderance of the best radiography practices in Nigeria.
He warned members of the public to be watchful of Diagnostic Centres and hospitals they patronize because of the risk associated with it.
Speaking with journalists after the enforcement exercise in Ibadan on Thursday, Obinna said the danger of allowing those unregistered and untrained people to carry out this service, is that if not handle by professionals, patients who visit such facilities may return home with more health problems.
He said, “We are in Oyo state to ensure that the best practices of radiography are being maintained and to discourage quack practices. So far, we have visited about eighteen facilities and those we discovered to be operating below standard, we have had to get them sealed. About Seven facilities have been sealed and we made eight arrests.
“We are considering prosecuting all of them. Except they meet up with the required standard to practice Radiography they will remain sealed and operators will be prosecuted in line with law.
“The danger of allowing those unregistered and untrained people to carry out these services, is that if not handled by professionals, patients who visit such facilities may return home with more health problems.
“It may result to cancer, cataract, Skin Erythema and sterility. Also, if the operator makes a mistake with the result of scan or x-ray, the prescription for drug may not be accurate.
“We noticed that there is the proliferation of these people in Oyo state and their facilities are been manned by non-professionals. That is why we had to roll out this time and tackle the quackery.”
