By 
By Ross Moyo
For Nancy Jonker – Clinical Director of Diagnostic Imaging Centers as Guest of Honor
1. Who is Nancy Jonker beyond the title — what led you into diagnostic imaging as a career?
2. What does it mean to be Clinical Lead of Diagnostic Imaging Centers in a changing healthcare environment?
3. What motivated you to accept this Guest of Honor invitation today?
By Dr Nancy Jonker, as told to TechnoMag
I am Dr Nancy Jonker, and we are here at the blessing of Rainbow Children’s Village.
For 16 years we have done one thing: scan children with cancer from rural Zimbabwe who come to Parirenyatwa Hospital with no financial support.
Industry & Leadership
4. Diagnostic imaging has evolved from X-ray to MRI, CT, PET and AI-assisted reporting — what is the biggest shift you have seen in the last 10 years?
5. What are the biggest challenges facing diagnostic imaging in Africa / Zimbabwe — equipment, skills, or policy?
6. How do you balance cutting-edge technology with affordable, accessible care for patients?
7. How is AI changing radiology — will it replace radiologists or empower them?
Many ask why scans matter.
A child cannot tell you they have a brain tumour. A mother cannot see leukaemia. A clinic cannot diagnose Wilms tumour without imaging.
Future-Focused (Good for Closing)
8. Where do you see diagnostic imaging in Zimbabwe / Southern Africa in the next 5 years?
9. If you had unlimited resources, what one thing would you change about diagnostic healthcare in our country?
10. What legacy do you want to leave in this field?
At Diagnostic Imaging Centre, we partner with KidzCan. They fundraise. We scan below cost. Very heavily subsidised, below cost.
These children access CT scans and MRI scans to help with diagnosis and staging.
Clinical Quality & Patient Care
11. Many patients fear radiation or misdiagnosis — what should every patient know before going for a scan?
12. What measures do your centers take to ensure diagnostic accuracy and patient safety?
13. How do you handle ethical dilemmas — like incidental findings or over-investigation?
Without staging, you cannot treat. Wilms tumour Stage 1 vs Stage 4 is different chemo, different surgery.
Zimbabwe has three paediatric oncologists. One ward — A4 Special. One registry that captures less than 60% of cases. Many children die misdiagnosed as TB or malnutrition.
A CT scan is not a luxury. It is the difference between 20% survival and 80% survival.
For Young Professionals / Students
14. What advice would you give to young doctors and radiographers who want to specialize in imaging?
15. What skills beyond medicine — leadership, business, communication — are essential for running imaging centers today?
16. How do you mentor the next generation of imaging professionals?
When we started 16 years ago, there was very little at Rainbow Village. Now there is a village. Children can rest, recover, eat, enjoy clean environment while being treated.
Diagnosis must be early. But early diagnosis without affordable scan is meaningless.
We will continue to provide below-cost scans, because every child deserves a chance to be seen — literally — before they can be cured.
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