RI to boost nuclear medicine specialists

BANDUNG: Indonesia still lacks nuclear medicine specialists, despite the government acknowledging in 1996 their important role in clinical diagnosis and medical treatment.

“Up to now, we have only 31 nuclear medicine doctors,” said A.Hussein S.Kartamihardja, chairman of the Indonesian Society of Nuclear Medicine (PKNI), at the “Nuclear medicine annual scientific meeting and seminar” held at Padjadjaran University Education Hospital in Bandung, West Java, on Friday.

He acknowledged that the number of Indonesians showing an interest in becoming nuclear medicine specialists remained low compared to other specialist physicians, such as surgeons and pediatricians.

“In 1996, when nuclear medicine physicians were first acknowledged by the Indonesian government, we had only 21 specialists. They even pursued their specialisms abroad,” said Hussein as quoted by Antara.

Nuclear medicine is a highly specialized field, with specialists having the expertise to deliver medical diagnosis and treatment by using radiopharmaceuticals.