The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, has urged radiologists in the country to guard against the leakages of patients’ information to prevent litigation.
Pate said this on Monday at the sixth Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Radiologists in Nigeria and the 60th AGM of the Association of Radiologists in West Africa in Abuja.
The minister noted that challenges impending data security must be addressed.
Pate, who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Hospital Services, Dr Jimoh Salaudeen, said,
“You are all witnesses to the increasing litigation in our practice arising from patients’ awareness of their rights and privileges.
“So, leakages of patients’ information must be guarded against seriously with every sense of responsibility and you should deploy appropriate and efficient technology to prevent miscreants from invading the system.
“The place of right diagnosis which radiology practice largely represents in the management of any disease condition must be appreciated.”
The minister added that the ministry is committed to continuing collaboration with ARIN.
The National President of ARIN, Prof Sule Saidu, called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to increase commitment to the improvement of service delivery, training, and research in healthcare to ensure global best practices.
According to Saidu, the government’s commitment to improving the health sector would help to curtail medical tourism abroad.
He also called on the government at various levels to pay more attention to the provision of more diagnostic equipment for the practice of radiology.
The Chairman of ARIN at the Federal Capital Territory and Local Organising Committee, Dr Agaja James, decried the migration of medical practitioners from rural areas to urban areas.
He said the majority of medical practitioners have migrated from rural areas to cities in the Sub-Sahara region and that many had also gone beyond the shore of Africa.
James called on the government to find a lasting solution to the trend and save the health sector from imminent downfall.