Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Nigeria is grappling with a severe shortage of radiographers and sonographers, with only 4,800 radiographers available to cater to its 200 million population.
This alarming figure was revealed by Prof. Mark Okeji, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria.
The situation is further compounded by the mass exodus of healthcare professionals seeking better opportunities abroad, resulting in a significant shortage of skilled personnel.
The Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria has taken proactive steps to address this shortage by establishing training programs in 23 universities, up from eight when Okeji took over six years ago.
He explained, “But the board has done quite a great thing in the last six years that I took over. We have established more programs in universities than has ever been.
“Currently, we have up to 23 universities offering the program. When I took over, there were about eight, but now we have started improving.”
Professor Okeji expressed optimism that Nigeria would have sufficient radiographers and sonographers within the next five years.
“I assure you that in the next three, four, five years we’ll be able to produce enough human resources,” Okeji said.
Ultrasound technology plays a vital role in medical diagnosis, particularly in obstetrics and gynaecology. Okeji emphasized the importance of ultrasound scans in assessing fatal viability, motion, and presentation without causing harm.
To improve health outcomes, the board plans to train more sonographers and deploy them to Primary Health Care Centers.
However, the “Japa syndrome” – a term referring to the brain drain of Nigerian healthcare professionals seeking opportunities abroad – poses a significant challenge.
Prof Okeji noted that most radiographers are trained for both Nigerian and European markets, leading to a shortage in the country.
To address this, the board is increasing training quotas in universities and ensuring strict regulation, monitoring, and supervision of the practice. Punishment will be meted out to those who violate training codes.
The current ratio of sonographers to the Nigerian population stands at 1:250,000, a situation stakeholders describe as “terrible”.
They urge the government to create a conducive environment to discourage brain drain and encourage healthcare professionals to remain in the country.
