Volunteer with RAD-AID International
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Introduction and Brief History
RAD-AID receives United Nations award, 2019.
Imagine: a pregnant woman in Africa loses her baby from a complication that could have been avoided using ultrasound; a woman in Asia dies of breast cancer that could have been treated if mammography had been available; a child in Latin America loses use of his leg after trauma from a bone fracture that could have been detected and treated if x-ray radiography had been available. Even high-income countries have large medically underserved populations and communities of color suffering more deaths and disease in the absence of vital radiology.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 3-4 billion people are at risk for widespread losses and deaths that can be avoided or treated, if radiology were available. Download our brochure.
RAD-AID began in 2008 to answer this need for more radiology and imaging technology in the resource-limited regions and underserved communities of the world. RAD-AID began as a few people at Johns Hopkins, and has grown to include over 14,000 volunteers from 146 countries, serving 91 hospitals in over 40 countries.
RAD-AID volunteer teaching during hands-on training session
RAD-AID’s mission is to increase and improve radiology in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as underserved areas of high-income countries (HICs). Radiology is a part of nearly every segment of health care, including pediatrics, obstetrics, medicine and surgery, making the absence of radiology a critical piece of global health disparity.
A cornerstone of RAD-AID’s strategy is the Radiology-Readiness tool, which RAD-AID developed and trademarked in 2009, and was endorsed by the World Health Organization in 2011. Radiology-Readiness is a systematic data collection tool for assessing how advanced health care imaging technology can be planned and implemented to best match the medical needs and infrastructure/personnel resources of a community. This approach of advanced assessment leads to effective planning and implementation so that RAD-AID programs have long-term sustainability and measurable outcomes.
RAD-AID programs then implement solutions that are multidisciplinary, including economic development (business planning for facilities using radiology equipment and personnel), clinical innovation, technology development, educational training of health workers, and public health strategies (deploying radiology to address worldwide health issues).
We welcome you to become part of RAD-AID as a growing global organization of advocates for medical technology in low resource regions.
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Awards and Honors
In 2023, RAD-AID received a perfect score (100 of 100) from Charity Navigator and earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar).
ACR Global Humanitarian Award (0:00-8:00 Dr. Diefenthal award, 8:00-14:53 RAD-AID Award)