The need and benefits of established radiopharmacy in developing African countries

Our work is to present the current status, and in the same time the need and benefit of establishment of Radiopharmacy practice in Eastern Africa using the perspective of Kenya and Ethiopia. The exact information on the status and size of Radiopharmacy units, regionally, is still not clearly documented, as well human resources, education, suitable training and local demand for the Radiopharmacy and Nuclear Medicine services. The Radiopharmacy Practice requires well-defined and controlled conditions to avoid the risk contamination with microbes, pyrogens and particulate matter as well as cross contamination with other radiopharmaceuticals. Corresponding to the expected improvement, the principles of Good Practices in all levels should be planned, introduced by the planned priority and strictly observed in the production, preparation, testing and the packaging of the final product ready for use. Because non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a challenge of epidemic proportion and that they will be the commonest cause of mortality in Africa by 2030, early detection and treatment can significantly improve patient outcomes. Radiopharmaceuticals should have become of invaluable benefit because they offer the most sensitive tools in the detection, diagnosis and targeted therapy of NCDs and also infectious diseases. In light of the foregoing, therefore, radiopharmacy has a huge role to play in responding to the unfolding new disease trends in sub-Saharan Africa. The preparation of radiopharmaceuticals for human use requires that it is carried out in well-defined and controlled conditions to avoid the risk contamination with microbes, pyrogens and particulate matter as well as cross contamination with other radiopharmaceuticals. Every procedure undertaken should be done according to the clearly defined protocol and under the right conditions so as to build quality into the product. Radiopharmacy professionals should have adequate training in all aspects of sterile production, quality control, GMP, GLP, radiation safety and radiochemistry to ensure that they are competent to handle radioactive materials and that they can take responsibility for their level of practice