The Ghana Society of Interventional Radiology (GSIR) will be launched on 18 November. Its aims are to encourage and advance the science and art of interventional radiology in Ghana, writes Benjamin Dabo Sarkodie, founder and president of the society.
“Interventional radiology sounds very exciting to physicians and surgeons in Ghana. Those physicians who have heard of interventional radiology often think of our specialty as the panacea to a lot of problems not amenable to conventional treatment options. They like the fact that it is minimally invasive and offers quick recovery and short hospital stay. Many physicians have heard about interventional radiology through journals, textbooks and at conferences, but have yet to experience these things happening to their patients. Most physicians believe that can potentially help their patients and contribute to the development of healthcare in Ghana and in Africa. Still, some of the major interventional radiology challenges in Ghana include low awareness among physicians, lack of equipment and even supplies. Over time, we hope to overcome some of these challenges and accelerate the growth of interventional radiology in Ghana and Africa. With this in mind, GSIR seeks to promote academic interaction and to organise scientific meetings and seminars.
Currently, I am the only interventional radiologist in Ghana, and so my goal is to draw more radiologists to this area. My aim is to draw at least five people in the next five years and I am currently training one radiologist with this in mind. My work as the founder and president of GSIR is supported by the vice president Edmund Brakohiapa.
The most popular procedures here would be hepatobiliary interventions (including percutaneous biliary drainages/stenting), lower limb angioplasties and oncological interventions. Similar patterns of procedures are noted across Africa even though variations exist from country to country.
Benjamin Dabo Sarkodie is a consultant endovascular and interventional radiologist, University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry, Accra, Ghana.
