Radiology Across Borders

'Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.' – Nelson Mandela

The ASA is a major partner of Radiology Across Borders (RAB), collaborating with and supporting all of the RAB project work, includinng training for the ultrasound VITAL projects. We are passionate about outreach work and are committed to making a tangible difference in developing countries globally through education.

Radiology Across Borders believes that if you have the ability to save a life, you have the responsibility to do so, and trains local healthcare staff in developing nations in radiology to detect and treat illnesses which helps save lives.

Not only do we see it as normal to have an ultrasound scan when we are pregnant or feel a breast lump, we also expect the sonographer to be of high standard to detect any problems. Most women in our neighbouring islands do not get access to ultrasound. It's simple: quality ultrasound detects risks to the unborn baby or a woman with breast cancer and decreases mortality.

In 2021, the ASA supported a number of RAB programs, notably the VITAL project which, due to the inability to travel and do site visits, was delivered online through multiple online conferences. The first online conference in April covered breast cancer detection, obstetrics and gynaecology, with 397 sites attending from 51 nations and 833 sites registering globally for the abdominal online conference in June 2021. In addition, a mentoring program was set up providing one-on-one clinical support, pairing sonographer volunteers will colleagues in developing nations to provide personalised and practical support and learning.

In 2022, ASA continued its support of Radiology Across Borders (RAB) by extending its major partnership for another two years.

Find out more about volunteering with RAB.