The state of occupational radiation protection and monitoring in public and private X-ray facilities in Edo state, Nigeria.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To find out the state of radiation protection and monitoring practices of the public and private X-ray centres in Edo state. MATERIALS AND METHODS Survey visits were made to all the functional X-ray facilities in Edo state and the available facilities identified, staff interviewed and collected data analyzed. RESULT There are 18 functional X-ray facilities comprising 10 (55.56%) publicly owned and eight (44.44%) privately owned. Only two (20%) of the public and five (62.5%) of the private X-ray units have personnel and environmental monitoring. All the X-ray centers in both public and private hospitals have effective lead aprons. All the public (100%) and only four (50%) of the private centers have gonadal shield although none is using them on a routine basis. Qualified radiographers are available only in five (50%) of the public and six (75%) of the private centers. Only three (30%) of the public X-ray centers have the services of radiologists. Among the private X-ray units, five (62.5%) have radiologist while three (37.5%) have no radiologist. Only one (10%) of the public centers and one (12.5%) private X-ray centre have a purpose-built adequately designed X-ray unit with barium plasters and lead lining of walls and doors. There is also only limited lead lining of doors and walls in three (37.5%) private units while no lead lining or barium plasters are used in five (62.5%) of the private units. No X-ray unit in Edo state uses digital radiography or computerized information system. This means that lost hard copy must be repeated, leading to more radiation to patients and staff. CONCLUSIONS There are inadequate radiation protection and monitoring practices in most of the functional X-ray facilities in Edo state with only five (62.5%) of the private and two (20%) of the public X-ray units monitored. There is poor adherence to the advice of the medical physicists due to the cost implications of the implementation.