At an IAEA course held this month in Morocco, 31 African radiation safety professionals strengthened their ability to train radiation protection officers, who supervise the safe use of radiation sources in medical and industrial facilities.
The 4-10 November train-the-trainers course was held in English and French concurrently at the same venue.
“Holding the two language courses at the same time enabled experts from neighbouring countries to network and discuss common issues,” said Amparo Cristobal, an IAEA Radiation Safety Specialist who lead the training course.
Experts from France and Ghana taught the participants about the roles, duties and competencies of a radiation protection officer. The attendees – from 30 African countries - also learned about IAEA resources in radiation protection, including the IAEA safety standards. Learning theories and methodologies to design training, as well as communication topics such as handling complex questions and using body language, were also part of the course.
“The lectures provided me with a lot of information not only about my roles in ensuring safety in my hospital, but also about how to teach others to better understand their duties in other facilities in my country,” said course participant Thobile Seyama from the Estwatini Ministry of Health.
The course was the third of its kind held this year, with earlier courses held in Viet Nam and Uruguay. The IAEA offers the course to help countries develop skills they need to ensure radiation protection.
