Accra, April 20, GNA - A five-day training Programme for physicists and engineers in the health sector was opened on Monday with a call on participants to adopt both preventive and maintenance habits to avoid rampant breakdown of hospital equipment. The workshop, organized by the Internation al Atomic Energy Commission and facilitated by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission engaged participants from African countries including Ghana, Tanzania, Congo, Niger, South Africa, Uganda and Tunisia to enhance their capacity as well as training them on the maintenance of Siemens ECAM Gamma Cameras, (a radioactive equipment used in diagnosing cancers and liver problems among other aliments.)

Dr Mary Boadu, Acting Director, Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute at the Commission said the proper maintenance of such cameras was essential to ensure continuous service delivery to patients.

She urged the participants to use the opportunity to exchange ideas and share information that would improve their work in their respective countries.

Dr Boadu said the training, which was a follow-up on a similar one held in South Africa in 2008 would also teach participants to separate operator faults, quality problems and breakdown, check system and software settings and identify system related serial numbers to enhance radioactive operation in their respective countries. Dr Verna Vanderpuye, Acting Director, National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital noted that the expensive nature of the equipment demanded that personnel were trained to carefully operate them. Mr. Paul Obeng, Course Coordinator said already the International agency had donated about 10 Gamma ECAM cameras to African countries adding, "Ghana's camera broke down in 2008 and was only repaired in February this year". He said the training was imperative to ensure that respective user countries provided a first line maintenance and diagnostics in case of break down before and outside expertise could be sought. 20 April 09