Strengthening Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) in East Africa

Abstract

The primary purpose of this project is to strengthen Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) in East Africa. Specific HTM challenges were identified in 2006 though one-week seminars in Ethiopia and Kenya conducted by WHO and other sponsors. The seminars were attended by health leader physicians and engineering personnel from public and private institutions from several countries. To meet these challenges two weeks of training was held in February, 2009 by WHO and Global Assistance for Medical Equipment (GAME), a USA-based non-governmental organization (NGO). During the first week, selected Ministry of Health (MoH) medical engineering experts from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda received advanced maintenance training for priority MoH clinical lab, medical imaging and intensive care/surgery equipment. During the second week, Engineering managers and senior MoH decision-makers received advanced HTM management and policy implementation training. The secondary purpose of the project is to identify the resources necessary for ongoing and sustainable HTM with the MoH in these target countries. Ongoing assistance is being organized from various local and international NGO’s to assist in providing the identified resources.