BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has started moves to establish a Directorate of Radiation Safety to regulate the functioning of medical diagnostic radiology facilities like X-ray units mushrooming in cities and towns.The directorate would take over the responsibility of monitoring the radiology facilities from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), which is finding it increasingly difficult to exercise control. The board is pushing for decentralisation through setting up of DRS or Radiation Safety Agency (RSA) at the State level. Kerala has been the first State in the country to have established the DRS.In response to the directives by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth to the State Chief Secretary and follow-up instructions of AERB Secretary R Bhattacharya, the State Health and Family Welfare department has initiated the preparatory work. It has sought a proposal from Director, Medical Education and Training, Director of Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre, Cuttack and Professor of Radiology, SCB Medical, Cuttack. The proposal suggesting measures for establishment of DRS has been submitted to the Government. The broad contours have been drawn along with the personnel required for the purpose. Once finalised, an MoU would be signed between the Health and Family Welfare department and the AERB for regulating, monitoring and inspecting the radiology facilities.The issue assumes significance as the radiology units, particularly X-ray facilities, are coming up in large numbers. Besides hospitals, they are also operated in the private sector. These facilities are potentially hazardous and carry the risk of radiation exposure to both the patient as well as operators if they are not designed or maintained properly.While there are over 50,000 X-ray units in the country, the number is not less than 3,000 in the State. “Only around 30 years back there were no more than 40 to 50 X-Ray centres, mostly confined to the hospitals in major towns and cities. Nowadays, X-ray units are being installed freely everywhere and not many of the private operators comply with the norms or are even aware of the proper procedures. There is an urgent need to regulate such facilities,” stressed a senior doctor.The AERB has stipulated regulatory requirement for medical X-ray units, right from installation to operation and maintenance. Every unit will have to be registered and licensed by the DRS and subjected to periodic inspections. Those violating the norms would be reported by the DRS to the AERB for action.
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