Education in Nuclear Medicine: A Step Towards Rwanda’s Healthcare Future.

By The Inspirer.

To confidently look toward the future, African youth are eager to learn and enhance their skills. Medicine is one of the most in-demand and promising professions on the continent, and nuclear medicine, an innovative field, is gaining increasing interest.

According to UN statistics, Africa has the youngest population in the world. 65% of the continent’s population is under 35 years old, and nearly 50% is under 19.

This large number of young people presents an opportunity for continuous economic improvements, but this can only happen when new generations have opportunities to realise their potential.

Providing youth with access to quality education is especially crucial for economic growth, innovation, and development.
Over the past 60 years, Africa has made significant progress in education. For example, the number of people who completed primary school increased from 52% to 67% between 2000 and 2022.

However, of the 1 million Africans entering the labour market each month, fewer than 25% find formal employment.
Healthcare workers are highly valued and in great demand in Africa. Rwanda is one of the countries striving to continuously improve its healthcare sector, and the situation is getting better every year.

New medical facilities have been built across the country, improving access to healthcare for Rwandans. However, there is still a need for more specialised professionals, particularly in rural areas, where they are scarce.

Among numerous medical challenges worldwide cancer is one of the most pressing ones. And African countries try to find the solution to this issue as well.

According to studies by the Union for International Cancer Control, cancer mortality in African countries has increased by 45% since 2000. Several factors hinder effective treatment, including a shortage of oncologists, and the high cost of treatment often makes it inaccessible.

To overcome these obstacles, there is a need to establish cancer centres, improve oncology training, and introduce innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment.

While most nuclear medicine specialists work in hospitals, some are employed in outpatient clinics and medical imaging centres. Their duties include preparing patients for nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures, administering radiopharmaceuticals, operating diagnostic equipment, and preparing reports on results.

On an international level, nuclear technologies have long been used to treat cancer. The global nuclear medicine market was valued at $10.65 billion in 2023, and it is expected to reach approximately $31.44 billion by 2033, with an average growth of 11.45% from 2024 to 2033.

The potential of nuclear medicine and radiopharmaceuticals in diagnosing various types of cancer, followed by therapy, is particularly relevant for the African continent.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 3-4 billion people are at risk of preventable deaths due to the lack of access to radiology.

This issue is also relevant for Rwanda, as the country currently lacks nuclear medicine facilities and has very few healthcare professionals with experience in diagnostic equipment.

Equipment such as PET-CT and cyclotrons can be operated after 3-6 months of training provided by manufacturers.

Therefore, it is important to promote human resource development to support the establishment of nuclear medicine facilities in Rwanda and advance the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases in the country.

Many countries offer educational programs in nuclear medicine. For example, in 2023, the first Chinese-Nigerian training event “Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment” was organised by the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) and the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria.

The training responded to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Rays of Hope initiative. Doctors and cancer treatment specialists from China’s General Hospital of Nuclear Industry and other hospitals offered 13 medical courses, including radiotherapy and the use of advanced medical technologies.

The Russian state corporation Rosatom and its partner universities, such as MEPhI, TPU, MPEI, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, MISiS, Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University, UrFU, and Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology, are also developing scientific and educational cooperation, preparing specialists for African countries in various fields of nuclear science.

These areas include energy, medicine, agriculture, radiation safety systems, and X-ray scanning technologies.

In September 2019, Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) launched a master’s programme in nuclear medicine for international students. TPU is a participant in the “5-100” and “Export of Education” projects.

As part of the programme, students from Africa study the production of radiopharmaceuticals, radiation therapy, and radiation diagnostics at an operational nuclear facility. It is the only functioning university nuclear reactor in Russia available for training foreign students.

Such educational initiatives can help talented African youth, including those from Rwanda, achieve academic and professional success.

Education in nuclear medicine could become a foundation for the overall well-being and prosperity of the African continent’s population.