Zimbabwe opens 1st imaging center in country where radiologists are ‘an endangered species’
Zimbabwe’s first-ever radiology center has opened in the country’s capital, Harare, local outlet Bulawayo 24 News reported this week.
The Diagnostic Radiology and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, brought forth by local doctor Dumisani Ndlovu and his wife, Ntokozo Ndlovu, is expected to improve healthcare in the area and ease some of the financial burden that comes with transporting patients to neighboring countries for diagnosis.
“We are grateful to people who supplement government efforts in providing quality healthcare delivery,” David Parirenyatwa, the Health and Child Care Minister of Zimbabwe, told 24 News. “I am cognizant of the fact that Dr. Ndlovu has observed glaring inadequacies in the specialist field of diagnostic radiology in this country, particularly as far as training in the field is concerned. It is true that in a progressive country where the development parameters are well-placed, teaching hospitals must be equipped to provide high-level training for diagnostic radiologists.”
Zimbabwe’s government has upped its annual intake of medical students, according to the story, but a shortage of diagnostic radiologists remains—just 115 in the region for a population of more than 14 million.
“There is a shortage of radiologists in the country and reasons for this need to be explored and solutions to this gap identified,” Ndlovu said. “We cannot continue to rely on external institutions to train radiologists for us, as this may be costly in more ways than one.”
Ndlovu said, when appealing to the Health Minister, the matter is more urgent than it might feel.
“Professionals of my level and training are but an endangered species,” he said. “Succession planning is needed in this field and has to be put in place.”
After graduating from Indiana University-Bloomington with a bachelor’s in journalism, Anicka joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering cardiology. Close to her heart is long-form journalism, Pilot G-2 pens, dark chocolate and her dog Harper Lee.