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| Sunday, 14 November 2004 |
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Now, quack technicians! by Shanika Sriyananda The Society of Radiological Technologists of Sri Lanka (SRTSL) has warned the public of a possible increase in cancer cases due to poor handling of X-ray machines by quacks employed as 'X-ray technicians' in certain private hospitals including some of the major ones in Colombo. The SRTSL claims that the majority of these quacks in the private sector healthcare institutions, who have not even passed the G.C.E. (O/L) Examination, have been employed for cheap labour. "They have no proper knowledge in handling X-ray machines and excessive exposure to X-rays would burn the external cells, develop cancer growth, while women coming under excessive exposure women are prone to have abnormal children", SRTSL Secretary Sunil Balasooriya told the 'Sunday Observer'. According to Balasooriya, a considerable number of women who had undergone mammography tests for breast cancer from the private sector visit government hospitals due to poor results. " It is dangerous to be excessively exposed to X-rays but those women who face the same tests repeatedly due to suspicious results are being exposed to X-rays several times due to poor knowledge of the so-called technicians in the private sector hospitals", he said. The SRTSL claims that there are nearly 100 such quacks working in the country. Only those with G.C.E (A/L) qualifications and trained at the School of Radio-graphers of Sri Lanka and registered at the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) are eligible to handle sensitive X-ray machines. " Since the quacks do not have the SLMC registration number, the public has the right to query this before the test begins. This is the only way to overcome the risk", he said. The SRTSL has written to the SLMC, Director General of Health Services and the Sri Lanka Medical College Council about the risk involved due to these quacks but there was no response so far. However, the SRTSL in commemorating the World Radiography Day last week launched the Directory of Radio-graphers of Sri Lanka including the names of 330 qualified radio-graphers in government hospitals, 50 in the armed forces and the police and other private sector hospitals in the country. The main objective of this is to safeguard the public from unwanted exposure to X-rays by quacks, said Balasooriya. |
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