30/04/2026
The Radiation Protection Authority convened a high-level engagement meeting with Provincial Health Directors from 21st to 23rd April 2026 to discuss compliance of government health facilities with the Ionising Radiation Protection Act No. 16 of 2005. During the meeting, the Director of Nuclear and Radiation Safety, Ms. Melody M. Nsofwa, welcomed the participants.
She noted, however, that regulation alone is not enough. True radiation safety in healthcare happens when the regulator and health service providers work hand in hand through such high-level engagement meetingsโwhen policies meet practice, and when national standards are implemented at every provincial level.
The Executive Director, Dr. Boster Dearson Siwila, noted that the Ionising Radiation Protection Act is not a barrier to progress; rather, it is the safeguard that allows progress to happen without harm.
The meeting was officially opened by the Board Chairperson of the Radiation Protection Authority, Mr. Msafiri Sinkala, who noted that while ionising radiation remains indispensable in modern medicine, its safe application depends entirely on disciplined adherence to regulatory standards. Where compliance is weak, risk is transferred directly to patients, staff, and the wider community. This meeting, therefore, is not simply a review of findings. It is a strategic engagement aimed at:strengthening accountability at provincial and facility levels,identifying root causes of persistent non-compliance,agreeing on practical, time-bound corrective actions, andreinforcing a culture of safety driven from leadership.
The Muchinga Province Provincial Health Director, Dr. David Silweya, thanked the Radiation Protection Authority on behalf of all the Provincial Health Directors for engaging the provinces on matters related to compliance in health facilities using radiation sources. He further informed the meeting that the provincial offices are committed to working with the Authority to ensure compliance with the Ionising Radiation Act No. 16 of 2005.
