Ministry, KOFIH join efforts to build capacity of biomedical engineers
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health is dedicated to improving healthcare and building capacity for biomedical engineers through training.
The training for biomedical engineers dubbed ‘Capacity Enhancement of Medical Equipment Technical Services (CEOMETS)’ is funded by KOFIH.
“We aim to build capacity for biomedical engineers in Tanzania for them to be able to manage the medical equipment in the country,” the KOFIH Country Office Coordinator, Ms Gloria Kim told the ‘Daily News’ on Tuesday.
Ms Kim said the training will enhance the medical equipment management for biomedical engineers and technicians and increase the functional rate of the medical equipment in Tanzania which leads to the contribution of achieving sustainable development goals that is good health and well-being (SDG 3).
“Healthy people are the foundation for healthy economies,” said Ms Kim.
The coordinator said the government and stakeholders can raise awareness in the community about the importance of good health, healthy lifestyles as well as people’s right to quality health care services, especially for the most vulnerable such as women and children.
Health stakeholders and decision-makers are responsible for improving people’s access to health and health care.
The training will be conducted for four weeks starting on October 23rd to November 18th, this year, which will go in line with field in hospitals located in the Dodoma Region.
The health specialist and Country Office Supporting Center at KOFIH Tanzania Office, Dr Hasnsol Park said since he first set foot in Tanzania in 2011, he witnessed the changing landscape of Tanzania and the modernisation of systems across society.
“The health sector is no exception. In particular, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s progressive and bold political moves are seeking to transform the country in various ways to improve the development of hospitals and health facilities,” said Dr Park, adding increased access to medical facilities for all Tanzanian people and providing maternal and child healthcare services on a continuous basis.
Further, he said the Ministry of Health has announced and implemented the National Master Plan for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), which the World Health Organisation (WHO) identified as a group of diseases prevalent in the tropics that are neglected in comparison to other infectious diseases.
The ministry announced in 2012 to raise awareness of the seriousness of NTDs, reduce the disease burden and achieve sustainable development.
As a result, the incidence and mortality rates of NTDs were significantly reduced, achieving remarkable results.
Following this, the Ministry of Health is pursuing an even more enhanced new phase of the programme from 2022 to 2026.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) identified the 21 diseases as NTDs, which are literally a group of diseases prevalent in the tropics that are neglected in comparison to other infectious diseases,” said Dr Park.
KOFIH is a public organisation affiliated with the ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea. It specialises in healthcare support which provides government level aid fir partner countries including Tanzania.