The Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, has launched the country’s biomedical unit in the Directorate of Hospital and Ambulance Services. This unit will now allow for the effective and efficient use and management of complex medical equipment with the end goal of optimizing quality care and patient safety.
The new unit will mainly focus on the installation, calibration and preventative maintenance all aimed at maximizing effective functionality of technological devices in healthcare facilities. The launch is a testament of the government’s desire to not only incorporate technology in health service provision, but also invest in the required human capital with the requisite capabilities to interact with high-end technical devices.
Officially declaring the unit open, Dr. Austin Demby, expressed excitement about the new unit describing it as an initiative that will drive quality of patient care as well as make way for the training of professionals who will understand the technical complexities of modern medical devices.
“By having trained technicians who can competently interact with medical equipment, will lead to improved case diagnosis, treatment and best outcomes of patient experiences in health facilities.” Dr. Demby encouraged members to take ownership of the new unit, stressing the relevance of their work within the healthcare ecosystem.
“We want this to be fully integrated in the healthcare structures. I want people in this unit to feel very proud and excited about the endless possibilities that lie ahead of them, but also, I want them to feel like they are important members of the team.”
Sierra Leone currently boasts of 30 hospitals and 1,198 peripheral health units (PHUs) spread across all sixteen districts in the country. Communities have an incredible amount of access to health facilities with each living within just 5 kilometer radius from a health center. This represents an impressive 80% or more access. But, the challenge still remains with quality. That is why the government, through the ministry of health, remains very deliberate about investing in education and training as well as in technological innovation and research.
As government invests in the quality of health workforce, it also continues to expand access by investing in top healthcare infrastructure projects. Already, a number of high-profile modern-day hospitals are being built all around the country with state-of-the-art equipment and renewable solar energy solutions. These new hospitals are meant to create what the Minister of Health refers to as “landing zones” for the highly trained and qualified healthcare professionals that the government is investing in.
This is why the Minister, Dr. Austin Demby, is very happy about the launch of the new biomedical unit, something he described as “a critical milestone that will help bridge the gap between technology and biomedical practice in Sierra Leone.”
How will the Biomedical Unit Impact Health Service Delivery?
Prior to the establishment of this biomedical unit, there was no concrete data to showcase the availability and functionality of medical devices in health facilities. There was also a huge gap in the availability of capable biomedical technicians with the requisite skills to manage and repair technologically sensitive medical equipment. This meant that lifesaving equipment were left mostly dysfunctional, adding to the already complex challenges of effective and efficient health service delivery.
Currently, the country only has 121 biomedical technicians carefully spread across major hospitals and PHUs. Ideally, a country with such significant number of healthcare facilities requires at least three time the number of existing biomedical technicians to upscale service delivery in hospitals. Of the current figures, only half (60) of the technicians are on government payroll, while the remaining are all volunteers.
So, the enormity of the tasks ahead cannot be downplayed. But, the launch of this new unit has been praised as a bold step in the right direction as it signifies the ministry’s desire to actively create a desirable environment that attracts and mentors young biomedical engineers from tertiary institutions. MoH is also expanding the scope of biomedical training services from basic equipment maintenance to more complex wiring, set up and disposal procedures right from the moment of acquiring these equipments up to the moment of disposal.
Right now, additional trainings and mentorship programs are being provided for the current set of biomedical technicians to ensure they that they meet the basic minimum standards required to match the complex technical needs of modern-day equipment.
This will help improve patient care as well as optimise the best possible use of these life-dependent medical devices. The new biomedical unit has placed Sierra Leone on the right global trajectory with regards medical engineering. The unit is expected to improve on the effectiveness and efficiency of health service delivery by helping to bridge the complex intersections between technology and medicine as well as constantly reevaluating grey areas between medical engineering and patient care.
Freetown, 3rd March 2025.
By James T. Kallay