The 2nd conference on advanced radiation technology in Việt Nam was held in HCM City on October 17. —VNS Photo Ngọc Diệp

HCM CITY — Better cooperation is needed between domestic and international agencies, organisations and enterprises in the development of advanced radiation technologies, Hoàng Anh Tuấn, director of the Việt Nam Atomic Energy Agency said at a conference on atomic energy held in HCM City yesterday (October 17).

Tuấn said that research and development in radiation technology in Việt Nam had achieved positive results in the fields of medicine, industry, agriculture and environment.

The country has eight irradiation facilities and 11 industrial irradiators, including one X-ray accelerator and one electron beam (EB) machine. Another facility is under construction in Bắc Ninh Province.

However, targets and criteria set out in plans on radiation technology by 2020 are not expected to be realised.

“One of the key tasks is to access atomic energy use for socio-economic development,” Tuấn said, adding that identifying challenges and solutions would help the development of radiation technology in Việt Nam.

Nguyễn Văn Quân, from the Ministry of Health’s Administration of Science Technology and Training, pointed out several limitations that still exist in the application of radiation technology in the medical field.

“There is a lack of qualified human resources, irradiation facilities and machines, and facilities providing radioactive medicine,” he said. A national medicine institute of radiation application, for example, has yet to be established.

Quân said that universities and higher education institutions should add new majors related to atomic energy in the next academic period.

“New policies to develop the use of irradiation technology need improved collaboration between ministries and other sectors,” he said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s 171 member states promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies, according to Bum Soo Han from the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Science and Applications.

“There still exists a gap between member states in implementation of radiation-based techniques,” he said.

The IAEA helps member states strengthen their capacities in adopting radiation-based techniques through its technical cooperation programmes, coordinated research projects, consultants, and technical meetings and conferences.

It supports cleaner and safer industrial processes, and offers a wide spectrum of education and training activities.

“Education and training are necessary to ensure that the next generation of nuclear industry professionals is prepared to manage complex radiation technology programmes,” he said.

The IAEA supports sustainability and networking of national nuclear institutions in Asia and the Pacific region by training students at secondary schools. E-learning modules are being developed for radiopharmacy education together with Macedonia.

Every four years, the IAEA organises an international conferences on radiation science and technology application at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria that highlight the latest key developments in the field. — VNS