Accra, June 03, GNA – The Ghana Association of Radiologists (GAR) has entreated all medical imaging centres and hospitals to only engage the services of consultant radiologists licensed by the Ghana Medical and Dental Council to ensure patient safety.
The Association also encouraged individual patients to demand to know the identity of radiologists who report their medical images for safety.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Dr Augustina Badu-Peprah, Greater Accra Regional President, GAR, and Dr Ijeoma Ayitey-Kokor, General Secretary, GAR, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
The statement was issued at the end of the 10th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association held on a virtual platform.
“It has come to the attention of the Association that some diagnostic centres and hospitals in Ghana employ the services of persons outside the country to report on various radiological images particularly CT scans and MRI,” the statement said.
Most of such persons who report the images, the statement said, were not certified by the Council, which was a mandatory requirement.
The statement further stated that, little was known about the identities, levels of competence or training of such persons.
“As a result, it becomes difficult to hold anyone accountable when inaccurate reports are given to patients affecting their care adversely.”
It said it was important to note that radiological reports were critical to patient care and inaccurate reports could lead to inappropriate surgeries and wrong case managements.
The statement advised the public to contact the Medical and Dental Council of Ghana when in doubt.
GNA