Speaker
Description
Nuclear medicine and molecular imaging (NMMI) has experienced remarkable global growth over the past 50 years and now plays a crucial role in the development and implementation of strategies for managing major public health challenges in many countries. During this period, significant advances in technology, computing software, radiopharmacy, and instrumentation have enhanced the impact of nuclear medicine across numerous medical fields. As a result, it is now widely regarded as an essential and prominent modality for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.
Over the last three decades, Africa has demonstrated steady progress in NMMI. In regions such as South Africa and North Africa, development has been comparable to that observed in more developed parts of the world. In contrast, in many other African countries, growth has remained limited, mainly consisting of the expansion of basic clinical services, including diagnostic studies using technetium-99m (99mTc) and therapeutic applications with iodine-131.
The development of NMMI across Africa has been closely linked to effective technical cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has provided multifaceted support tailored to the needs and capacities of individual countries. Any discussion of nuclear medicine development in Africa inevitably highlights the unique and central role of the IAEA.
Nuclear medicine is a key focus of the IAEA’s human health cooperation programs. Over the past two decades, 29 African countries have implemented at least three specific projects related to nuclear medicine. These national projects have aimed at introducing or expanding nuclear medicine services at national or regional levels, developing quality assurance programs, and implementing advanced imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). The highest success rates of these initiatives are generally observed when they are well aligned with national health priorities and programs.
| Track | Situation of Nuclear Medicine in Low- and Medium-Income Countries |
|---|---|
| Presentation type | Oral |