Lack of proper safety equipment and non-adoption of precautionary measures have exposed the technicians working at different public sector hospitals to serious health problems, as the radiation caused by the X-ray machines pose serious health threats not only to them but to the patients and their attendants as well.
Medical experts told Business Recorder here on Friday that frequent exposure to X-ray causes cancer, mental and physical disabilities, genetic changes and infertility.
"There is no mechanism available to gauge how much a person has been affected by the radiation, owing to high fee charges by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) which have the only facility in this regard", they said.
It may be mentioned that PAEC carried out analysis of Radiation Monitoring Badges (RMBs) and charge high fees.
The experts have asked the government to take measures to protect the patients, their attendants and radiologists from side effects caused by radiation.
Moreover, Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed, while addressing a departmental meeting here on Friday said the government is establishing tertiary care institutions in the province for the modern and standardised health facilities to the people at their door steps.
He said the amount of stipends of nurses and young doctors had also been increased. Apart from this, the government would offer attractive salaries to foreign-trained cardiovascular physicians/surgeons to serve in public sector hospitals.
He said the government has started many projects for the provision of healthcare facilities to the mother and the child, especially in the far-flung areas of the province. "The government was spending Rs 1,260 million under Women Health Project (WHP) for provision of health facilities in the province for women and children. The provincial government, with the co-operation of United Nations Funds for Population (UNFP), would spend 34 million dollars for provision of necessary health facilities.