By Emelia Nkrumah
Accra, Oct. 2, GNA – The International Society for Magnetic Resonance Medicine (ISMRM), a multidisciplinary society of radiologists has organised its first conference in Ghana.
The aim of the conference was to raise awareness about the pressing needs as well as the promising prospects for expanding MRI access, training, and research across the African continent.
It is also to reduce the cost of using the MRI machine as well as provide access to more affordable equipment “to benefit patients”.
The conference brought together various stakeholders in the medical space to deliberate on prospects for expanding MRI training and research.
In an interview with the media after the conference in Accra, Professor Derek Jones, President of ISMRM noted that “most patients find it difficult to afford the MRI machine”, hence the need for the conference.
He said the association would collaborate with other organisations to improve the health of people around the world using MRI.
Mr Johnes Obungoloch, President of ISMRM, African Chapter said the conference was to promote research and innovations in MRI and clinical practice.
According to him, “ISMRM gives us access to a host of expertise in the field of MRI across the world to help build their own research teams within Africa.”
Addressing the challenges with MRI machines, Mr Obungoloch noted that many hospitals could not afford MRI systems in Africa, adding that his outfit was working with other organisations to reduce the cost of MRI and make it affordable “for everyone.”
According to him, the association was set up to link up MRI practitioners across Africa, “so that we can share knowledge but also train the young African students.”
Dr Hafiz Adam, the Chief Director of Ministry of Health (MoH) reading a speech on behalf the Minister of Health, Mr Agyemang Manu, said “the government of Ghana, recognizing the need for a holistic healthcare in Ghana, retooled most of our regional hospitals with both Computed Tomography (CT scan) machines and some selected regional capitals with 1.5T MRI machines in 2012 and 2013.”
He noted that the government was doing its best to maintain the MRI machines to ensure its continuous use, both for healthcare management and training for healthcare providers “such as radiologists and radiographers.”
“The cost of and availability of helium is one major challenge, but we have so far found ways of going around it. It is therefore gratifying to note that trials on the use of Ultralow field plug and play Hyperfine MRI systems which do not require helium are being undertaken in the country to help circumvent a major challenge,” he added.
Professor Godwin Ogbole, founding member of ISMRM, African Chapter stated that Africa had been left behind in terms of having access to the MRI technology, adding that the key problem was because of lack of capacity.
According to him the conference was to create a vacuum for developing people to be able to access the MRI machine.
Prof. Ogbole, who is also the Principal Investigator of SMART Africa Network, (a Chan Zuckerberg Initiative funded organisation) indicated that his outfit had collaborated with other stakeholders to set a space for the development of the MRJ technology in Africa.
He said, “in Ghana, we have over 90 young participants in the MRI workshop who would be trained in MRU technology and change the dynamics in using the MRU technology to improve the healthcare system in Africa.”
“We are looking forward to improving technology using innovative techniques,” he added.
GNA