Times Of Swaziland: BRAIN SCAN CRISIS: NO RADIOLOGIST TO READ MRI SCANS

BRAIN SCAN CRISIS: NO RADIOLOGIST TO READ MRI SCANS
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Joseph Zulu on 14/12/2024 06:46:00


MBABANE – In a medical emergency, a delayed brain scan could mean the
difference between life and death.
However, despite the seriousness of such medical emergencies, the country does
not have a radiologist who can read detailed images of a brain. The images are
normally created by a magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) scanner. An MRI is a
medical imaging technique used to create detailed pictures of the organs,
tissues and other structures inside the body. This is not to be confused with a 
CT scan (Computed Tomography scan), also known as a CAT scan, which is a medical
imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer processing to
create detailed cross-sectional images of the body.
Noteworthy, the brain is a delicate part of an organism such as the human body
and it is known to control various functions whether the person is conscious or
not. It is for this reason that many medical experts hold the view that any
injury to the brain should be speedily detected and attended to. The delay in
reading brain scans has resulted in some patients losing their lives while
waiting to be attended to. This publication gathered that there had been cases,
especially of accident victims, who could have been saved if the brain scan was
quickly done.
According to some medical doctors who will not be mentioned as they are not
authorised to speak to journalists, the most at risk of dying are accident
victims. The doctors stated that the biggest challenge occurred on weekends.
They said for patients brought late Friday or weekends, getting them treated
quickly is difficult. “It is not as fast as during the week because even the
radiologists who are in private facilities are not readily available,” stated
the doctors.
Doctors
Further, the doctors said even people who suffered stroke were also at risk of
their conditions worsening. This, according to the doctors is because they could
have internal bleeding, which cannot be easily detected unless a scanner was
used and that there should be someone who could then interpret that. Also, the
doctors revealed that Phalala Fund is also available to assist the patients,
particularly in paying for them. However, they said this is still a slow process
and that having an in-house neuro-radiologist could ensure that the patients
were speedily assisted and lives saved quicker.
The lack of a qualified government radiologist to interpret also means that if
one were to get a brain injury this festive season, that person should be
prepared to wait before being assisted, but there is also a high possibility
that due to the delicacy of the brain, they may not make it alive through the
weekend. In the past, there has been some radiologist in the hospitals but they
had ended up leaving for ‘greener pastures’. According to previous records,
also submitted to the World Health Organisation (WHO) road accidents are a
leading cause of fatalities in Eswatini during the festive season.
As the festive season begins, this often brings  a high number of road accidents
and trauma-related injuries  are common during this time of the year. In many of
these incidents, it was gathered that victims suffer head injuries that
necessitate immediate brain scans to assess internal bleeding, fractures, or
other critical damage. Without a radiologist to interpret especially brain
scans, some medical professionals said delays in diagnosis are inevitable and
that this could put patients at higher risk of irreversible damage or death. A
doctor stated that in an emergency, a few hours delay in reading the brain scan
could lead to swelling, severe disability or fatal outcomes.
“The absence of this critical service in public hospitals is deeply
concerning,” said the doctor. Eswatini’s lack of a radiologist is not an
isolated incident but reflects a broader crisis in specialist healthcare.
Radiologists, who are trained to interpret diagnostic imaging like CT scans,
MRIs and X-rays, are in short supply globally. However, in Eswatini, the problem
is exacerbated by limited medical training programmes and insufficient
incentives to attract and retain specialists.
Neighbouring South Africa, which also faced a shortage of radiologists, has made
significant strides in addressing the issue. A key component of its strategy has
been the integration of telemedicine and the outsourcing of radiology services.
South Africa has established partnerships with private radiology groups to
provide remote image interpretation for public hospitals.
This allows hospitals in rural areas to transmit diagnostic images
electronically to specialists based in urban centres. Meanwhile, the Ministry of
Health confirmed that the Mbabane Government Hospital does not have a
radiologist. This was noted by Nsindiso Tabedze who is the Communications
Officer in the Ministry of Health. He also said this was the same for the all
public health facilities.
Training
“It is no secret that MGH does not have a radiologist, with some still in
training,” stated Tsabedze. However, he added that the ministry has also
engaged one of its partners to discuss how this gap can be closed.