ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Bahamas became a member state of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on January 7, 2014 (1). The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader on The Bahamas’ ability to provide services that utilize radiation.
Method: A study was conducted on various clinics across The Bahamas, New Providence in particular (primary sample area), Grand Bahama, Abaco and Exuma. Twenty per cent of the staff members of the respective locations were given questionnaires and the chief personnel were interviewed. Staff members were advised that their responses would remain anonymous and were welcomed to participate, thereafter. Microsoft Excel was used for data input and processing. Original surveys were checked against the dataset for potential errors.
Results: Thirty-one clinics were approached to participate in the survey, of which 25 participated resulting in an 81% response rate. Fifty questionnaires were completed in total. Two clinics had multiple locations; therefore, 27 clinics (23 private, 4 public) participated in total. The included map illustrates the sample area of the survey, with New Providence being the primary sample area. The number of modalities, patients treated and frequency of quality assurance checks were also evaluated.
Conclusion: Most of the examined clinics outsourced technicians and physicists to perform quality checks. This suggests that there is a need for qualified local technical support. Further studies are needed to understand the full extent of the country’s needs regarding medical radiation and figuring out the steps necessary for approaching this subject.