ISRRT_DEC2018_WEB

REPORT
The CAFIMRA Board of Presidents.
Francophone African radiographers on their way
to Quality Assurance and risk management
Dakar, Senegal
October 28-29, 2018
Report by Boniface Yao, ISRRT Regional Director Africa
IT IS well known that medical imaging remains the main tool
to provide accurate diagnostic information for decisive medical
decisions. This makes the role of quality assurance (QA) an important
issue for the professional practice in medical imaging. In the
majority of African countries, the challenges result, among others, in
insufficient awareness about quality assurance, lack of QA programs
and risk management procedures.
In order to help radiographers from french speaking Africa explore
the pathways to building sustanaible projects and take up these
challenges, the ISRRT, in collaboration with the National Society
of Radiographers in Senegal (ATMIMS) and the French Society of
Radiographers (AFPPE), organsised in Dakar, Senegal, October 28-
29, 2018, the 10th Congress of Francophone African Radiographers,
namely CAFIMRA 2018.
The event gathered 150 delegates, radiographers and radiological
technologists of public and private radiology department, originating
from 10 ISRRT member countries. The objectives was to learn from
each other and share experience on the methodology to implement a
quality assurance program in their radiologic departments.
The scientific program was composed of plenary sessions that
covered the theoretical aspects of Quality Assurance and risk
management in medical imaging, radiotherapy and nuclear medecine
modalities.
The venue, namely City Business Center of Dakar, offered a lovely
environment with three rooms; plenary room (Baobab) for the main
conference and two rooms (Filao 1 and 2) for hands on capacity
building session focussed on the practical aspects of Quality control
in mammography, CT/MRI anatomy image recognition and radiation
protection followed by a validation quiz.
The congress was chaired by the Senegalese Minister of Health and
supervised by the ISRRT officers, Philippe Gerson (Treasurer) and
Boniface YAO (Regional Director Africa) and it gave an exceptional
occasion to address the main concerns of African radiographers, in
terms of communication, training and professional practice and safety.
Some positive solutions in progress were announced. Among
others, the web training plateform made available to radiographers
by Siemens and its projects of creation of two centers of excellence
for radiographers training in medical imaging in Dakar (Senegal) and
Yaoundé (Cameroun).
The Francophone African Congress of Radiographers, called
CAFIMRA was started about 20 years ago upon the impulsion of Mr
Phillipe Gerson, ISRRT Past Vice President Europe/Africa and current
Treasurer. In that process Philippe involved three of his colleagues
from the French Society of Radiographers; Mrs Dominique Zerroug,
Mrs Jocelyne le Goazigo, radiographer trainers and Mrs Agnes Tiki
Doumbe a chief radiographer.
In order to acknowledge Philippe and his team for the tremendous
work they have accomplished, as well as the valuable outcomes
produced in terms of continuing professional development system
settled and the capacity building provided, the Board of Presidents of
CAFIMRA offered them an exceptional award ceremony.
First of all, Philippe, Dominique and Jocelyne were marvelously u
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