BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RADIATION BIOLOGY AND RADIOTHERAPY
 
The Department of Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy was established in Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos in April, 1968. The purpose of the Department was two fold: (i) The Therapeutic use of X and Gamma Rays, and (ii) The Therapeutic and Diagnostic use of Radio-Active (Isotopes) (Nuclear Medicine).

With the creation of the new department, LUTH became the first institution in West Africa to offer services through the use of radioactive isotopes, as well as lectures and courses in Radiation Biology, Radiation Therapy and Medical Physics.

The very first Cobalt-60 (Theratron-780) machine was donated to the department in September, 1973. The department later had some orthovoltage machines, an RT 350 machine and an Isomatix machine. In 1991, while working with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, the current Executive Secretary of the Federal Character Commission, Prof. F. A. Durosinmi-Etti, facilitated the donation of another Russian made AGAT RT- Cobalt-60 machine by the IAEA. Also donated were some Desktop Computer Planning System, two Curietron Machines for a low dose, remote control, after loading brachy-therapy equipment, for treating carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
 
Since its establishment in 1969 and since acquisition of First Cobalt-60 machine in 1973, the department has treated thousands of cancer patients from all walks of life with survival rates comparable to other centres in the world.

LUTH Department of Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy needs a total, overhaul of all its treatment machines, which are aged and obsolete. I am pleased to inform you all that our Radiotherapy services is expected to benefit from a modern Cancer Treatment machine called Linear Accelerator through the Federal Government's initiative for the VAMED equipment modernisation Project for Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria.

SERVICES RENDERED

The Radiotherapy department renders services
 
(a) In the Therapeutic use of  X and Gamma Rays in the management of      all cancers of different parts of the body from paediatrics to      geriatrics and
(b) The Therapeutic and Diagnostic use of Radio-Active (Isotopes) /
     Nuclear     Medicine.

ACHIEVEMENTS
Since its establishment in 1969 and since acquisition of the first Cobalt-60 machine in 1973, the department has treated thousands of cancer patients from all walks of life with survival rates comparable to other centres in the world, and has trained a reasonable number of resident doctors.

STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Our strength lies in our devotion and dedication to duty. Our working maximally with minimal facilities and our hope that with time radiotherapy facilities in Nigeria will compare favourably with what obtains in the developed world particularly with the present interest the Federal Governme1 is showing in combating cancer. We at least presently provide opportunities for the radio therapeutic management of all cancers and some benign conditions like KELOID post surgery.
 
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Department now has a newly built Bunker (Courtesy of the Federal Government through VAMED which will house the newly acquired Linear Accelerator, and its accessories and a Computer Planning system with a back-up UPS and hopefully a new Colbat-60 machine as aback-up machine for Linear Accelerator.