RESUMEN
A key driver of global radiology disparities is the lack of trained professionals and a lack of formal training programs, despite the increasing availability of previously cost-prohibitive radiology equipment.1 In Africa, limited access to radiology training programs is severe at both the diagnostic radiology (DR) residency and radiology subspecialty (RS) fellowship levels. Tanzania Interventional Radiology Fellowship In 2017, an IR Readiness Assessment at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar es Salaam revealed a complete lack of trained IR personnel and disposable equipment as their two main obstacles to initiating IR service.6,7 Beginning in October 2018, through close collaboration among MNH, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), and multiple US institutions including Yale and Emory Universities under the Road2IR consortium, rotating teams of IR faculty, nurses, and technologists were deployed to MNH for hands-on teaching. The two-year fellowship programs provide ample time and structure for trainees to gain the necessary competencies in their subspecialties, compared to unstructured clinical apprenticeships or short-term observer-based models.3,11 Providing in-country training opportunities is a critical step toward addressing the severe radiology disparities in Africa.
RESUMEN
Respiratory viruses can be transmitted through contact, droplet and airborne routes. Viruses that are not naturally airborne may be aerosolised during medical procedures and transmitted to healthcare workers. Most resource-limited healthcare settings lack complex air handling systems to filter air and create pressure gradients that are necessary for minimising viral transmission. This review explores the association between ventilation and the transmission of respiratory viruses like SAR-CoV-2. When used appropriately, both natural and mechanical ventilation can decrease the concentration of viral aerosols, thereby reducing transmission. Although mechanical ventilation systems are more efficient, installation and maintenance costs limit their use in resource-limited settings, whereas the prevailing climate conditions make natural ventilation less desirable. Cost-effective hybrid systems of natural and mechanical ventilation may overcome these limitations.