S.S. Bajaj, Chairman of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai, said here on Thursday that there was a need to develop “some regulatory mechanism” to address the radiation safety of patients.
Inaugurating a three-day conference on “radiological protection and safety in nuclear reactors and radiation installations” at Mangalore University, he said radiation safety of patients was assuming importance because of increased use of radiation in diagnosis by way of radiological examinations and treatment in nuclear medicine procedures.
“…Minimum awareness on radiation protection aspects among the medical professionals makes it important to develop some regulatory mechanism to address the radiation safety of patients,” he said.
Mr. Bajaj said the incident at Mayapuri in Delhi on April 2010 highlighted the importance of proper handling of radioactive sources and equipment and the proper disposal of used sources. (The incident was relating to radioactive material discovered in shops of scrap dealers. Its source was later traced as a Delhi University laboratory)
Mr. Bajaj said the scope of radiation protection professionals needed to be widened by including effective public communication and dispelling choice myths about radiation.
The effects because of low level exposures should be conveyed in a manner without either undermining it or exaggerating.
It should be backed up by statistically important epidemiological studies on the Indian population.
Indian Association for Radiation Protection (IARP) and University Science Instrumentation Centre had organised the conference in association with the University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC).
D. N. Sharma, president, IARP, spoke.
Among the seven recipients of 2012 IARP annual awards, two were Karunakara N., Assistant Professor, USIC, and Challapalli Srinivas, Radiation Safety Officer, Kasturba Medical College, Hospital, Attavar, Mangalore.
