The radiation-safety campaign in Africa, known as the Afrosafe Rad campaign was launched in 2015 to support the Bonn Call for Action issued in 2012 by the IAEA and WHO.This campaign which was ratified under the umbrella of the African Society of Radiology (ASR) has the mission of ensuring a favourable benefit-risk ratio in the use of ionizing radiation in medicine through encouraging adherence to international safety standards and guidelines.
Afrosafe Rad promote adherence to policies, strategies and activities for the promotion of radiation safety and for maximization of benefits from radiological medical procedures.
Since it’ s launch Afrosafe Rad has several active members as Kenya (2015), Uganda (2015), the majority of francophonic African countries (2016) including Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Ivory Coast, Gana, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Tunisia, then Tanzania (2017), South Africa (2018) and lastly Nigeria (2018).
The actions and initiatives carried out to date have yielded palpable results concerning justification, optimization, medical exposures and especially the training initiated during the various scientific congresses at the national, regional or continental level.
The results of Afrosafe Rad with these actions developed on the basis of initiatives and Investment were led by the radiological community and following a holistic approach.
If conclusive results in the implementation of Afrosafe Rad are recorded, consideration should be taken to quantitative and qualitative issues registered, focusing on characteristics related to the local ,regional ,continental efficiency linked to the international cooperation and partnerships.
This, requires an identification of critical barriers for quality improvement and capacity expansion related to differences between the north and the south of Africa (cultural, social, economic….) , but with a weighting of the data collected, and the basic indicators (resources at the local, national and regional scale as training and education…).
Afrosafe Rad campaign is an initiative designed to identify and recognize imaging facilities that embody best practice in radiation protection with a common goal to identify and address issues arising from radiation protection in medicine in Africa , and ensure the use of medical imaging in the most efficient and most effective way .
The development of criterias for an effective implementation of Afrosafe Rad is required as well as the related evaluation scheme needs to be done , taking in consideration topics, means and resources at the local and regional level.
The wording for the criteria needs to be adapted following a methodological approach after describing the methods of data collection (qualitative and quantitative methods).
This approach is a step forward in the implementation of the objectives of Afrosafe Rad by creating a strong bridge between the South and the North of Africa with more proximity and communications.
It will impact the reality of practice by initiating a validation and concretization process related to the implementation of radiation protection at the national, regional and continental level and will root a culture of mutual assistance, regional and cooperation for ensuring the continuity of Afrosafe Rad for the promotion of radiation protection in Africa by ensuring its access and integration into the health policies.
The support of scientific societies at the national, regional and continental levels is acquired, and have to be strengthened and extended internationally, as the support of the European Society of Radiology (ESR) illustrated in 2019 with the ECR meets Africa session.
Collaboration, advocacy, experience sharing, mutual assistance, provision of tools and guidance; radiation safety and radiation protection are essential ; each African scientific society should play a supporting role with an identification of ways and means to embedded the Afrosafe Rad by putting it in the ongoing action plan of Afrosafe Rad for the next three years.