A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is scheduled to visit Fiji in September to assist in the safe removal of outdated Radium-226 (Ra226) sources that were previously used in medical treatments and research. Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal that results from the decay of uranium and thorium.
Historically, Radium needles were utilized for brachytherapy in cancer treatment, specifically to target tumors. In response to inquiries, the IAEA explained that this visit is part of its Global Radium Management Initiative, aimed at helping member states effectively manage legacy Ra226 sources from medical, industrial, and research applications.
An IAEA spokesperson stated that the agency supports processes for recovering, conditioning, and storing these sources while also aiding countries in developing national capabilities for their long-term management, including potential reuse and recycling. The IAEA previously engaged in a mission in 2014 to assist with disused Ra226 sources at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva, where such sources had been employed for cancer brachytherapy.
Since that time, the disused Ra226 sources have been secured at the Ministry of Health’s old Mechanical Depot. The spokesperson confirmed that these sources are now set to be sent to the United States for recycling. The Fiji Ministry of Health has corroborated this information.
Fiji became a member of the IAEA in 2012, initiating a partnership focused on leveraging atomic energy for peaceful and beneficial uses, resulting in various improvements across agriculture, health, and biosecurity sectors in the country.
The ministry noted that the Colonial War Memorial Hospital previously used Ra-226 needles for treating gynecological cancers, particularly cervical cancer, although this practice ended in 1998. During the team’s past visit in 2014, the Ra226 sources were secured and stored while waiting for their final disposal options.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, IAEA experts are expected to facilitate the removal of these old Ra226 sources during their visit in September 2024. The Health Ministry expressed gratitude for the IAEA’s support and anticipates continued collaboration moving forward.