An Urge: To formulate National Radiation Protection Law

Few weeks ago, we got to read news about radioactive source container being lost on its way to Kathmandu from Chitwan. This news was unique but it was a subject of public concern for sure. Generally such issues are not viewed seriously in developing countries like Nepal. They are just overshadowed by the other issues like politics, and other common stuffs.

Nevertheless, this time it got a top priority on almost all national dailies for almost a week. Firstly they mentioned the loss of radioactive source container thus asking people to inform the concerned authority, if that source container comes into their notice. Secondly, two days after the first notice, to tell people that the container was found by a tea shopkeeper and was already handed over to a local police office in Kathmandu.

The first notice was not pleasing at all. It created a lot of fear of potential health hazards to the public. On newspapers, it was clearly mentioned that the source was being sent to Belgium as a regular process to get a new one. But it was sent via Courier service without a secure transportation arrangement. It illustrated the insufficient logistic management for the transportation of the source container. It seemed like the source handling was not given due priority by the authorities concerned during its transportation.

The material was used to treat cancer patients in Bharatpur Cancer Hospital, as a radioactive source for Brachytherapy Unit. Such radioactive materials if not sealed or expose an individual under unsafe condition can create different health problems ranging from skin reddening, erythema, cataract to deadly cancer and genetic aberration. Effects like skin reddening can be observed within an hour or days after exposure which we call early effects of radiation. While the effects like cancer might manifest in years or decades after exposure, which we call the late effect of irradiation.

In developed countries and in some other developing countries like India, they have clear code of practice for the transportation of radioactive sources. It has helped them for proper transportation management of the source containers. Such code of practice is generally recommended by agencies like IAEA and other national or regional organizations.Although Nepal became the member of IAEA in 2008, it lacks national rules and regulation regarding the handling and transportation of radioactive sources, which might have posed the challenges in source container transportation. The incident was typical of all possible mishandling of sources in future.

It is obvious that there was lacking in the transportation of the radioactive source container this time–firstly such serious issue should have been handled with greater care by the hospital administration. Secondly, it has already been too late to inform the general public about the effects of ionizing radiation at all situations because nowadays we are using ionizing radiation large and broad for varieties of purposes. Thirdly, the media which can play crucial role in creating awareness among people about the benefits and hazards of ionizing radiation in human health are found silent or not give due priority to this. Fourthly, Government of Nepal is not formulating a Radiation Protection Law although it has been years after it became member of IAEA. Finally our intelligentsia are not discussing and debating in such issues within the framework of national need.

Now the time has come to converge into the formulation and implementation of National Radiation Protection Laws, building a national infrastructure, creating awareness among people about the pros and cons of ionizing radiation, discussing and debating on the safety issues etc. If these things can be done, the safe use of radiation to benefit people can be assured.

The writer is a member of Bangladesh Medical Physics Society, and a student of Medical Physics, Gono Bishwabidyalay, Dhaka, Bangladesh.