CLINICAL ENGINEERING IN SOUTH AFRICA A Snapshot
LOCAL ICONS
Christiaan Barnard Nelson Mandela & Alan Cormack (Nobel (first human heart Desmond Tutu (Nobel Prize for Medicine – transplant) Peace Prize Laureates) CT Scanner) South Africa
Population circa 55‐m11 official languages All religions
Global CE Day 2018 South Africa Quadruple Burden of Disease: ◦ HIV/AIDS (co‐joint with TB) 9 provinces ◦ Tuberculosis (incl. MDR, XDR & TDR‐TB) ◦ Non‐Communicable Diseases ◦ Injuries (Violent Crime & Road Accidents) (pro‐rata, South Africa tops the charts for 3 of the above)
Poverty: highest Gini disparity coefficient in world; unemployment (>30%), legacies of apartheid, cancer of corruption and low economic growth
Deprivation Cluster: Migration, Overcrowding, Malnutrition and Poverty
Global CE Day 2018 Clinical Engineering Society of South Africa (CEASA)
SAACET (SA Association of Clinical Engineering Technicians) grew out of BESSA (Biomedical Engineering Society of South Africa) ‐ a founding member of IFMBE In 1990’s a Board of Examiners was appointed to implement CE Certification based on ACCE model –never implemented but discussion has recently resumed ‐ linkage to IFMBE CED Credentialing project 4 Branches – Eastern Cape (50 paid‐up members), Gauteng (263 mem), KwaZulu Natal (59 mem), Western Cape (114 mem) = 486 total [2017] Members drawn from public and private healthcare sectors & industry Close collaboration with South African Hospital Engineering Association (SAFHE) –2‐yearly joint congress and more recently IFMBE CED (co‐hosted conferences at annual Africa Health event)
Global CE Day 2018 CEASA Activities
Global CE Day 2018 Clinical Engineering Education Tshwane University of Technology University of South Africa https://www.facebook.com/Clinical‐Engineering‐at‐TUT‐ https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Apply‐for‐ admission/Undergraduate‐qualifications/Qualifications/All‐ 201194989950818/ qualifications/National‐Diploma:‐Engineering:‐Electrical‐Clinical‐ Engineering‐(NDEEN‐%E2%80%93‐CEN)
University of Cape Town http://www.bme.uct.ac.za/bme/healthcare ‐technology‐management “The fairest Cape in all the world” but …..
…highest murder rate and TB prevalence in the world Clinical Engineering in Western Cape * Public sector ** 3 tertiary public hospitals in Cape Town: Groote Schuur Hospital &Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (both linked to Univ. of Cape Town’s Health Sciences Faculty) Tygerberg Hospital (linked to Univ. of Stellenbosch’s HSF) Each hospital has its own in‐house Clin Eng Dept (CED)
TBH CED Staff
*https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/health/ (under our Constitution each (First human heart transplant performed province functions separately wrt healthcare services); W Cape pop. = circa 6,5‐m at GSH in 1967) **All three major private sector healthcare groups are present in W Cape with in‐ house Clin Eng expertise (under respective national co‐ordinating structures) Clinical Engineering in Western Cape ‐ II Public sector
Apart from a minor CE presence at two regional hospitals, all other public sector health facilities* are served by the Provincial Clinical Engineering Workshop based in Goodwood, Cape Town Metropole
The workshop generates circa 18,000 job cards a year, does more than 80% of repairs in house and is the only public sector CED that has medical imaging technicians We have commenced with a CE Internship programme that will help ensure future sustainability, although the challenge nationally is significant, with a current shortfall of 200+ technicians (BMETs)
Goodwood CE Staff
*Numbering almost 500 –from regional & district hospitals to Community Health Centres, and Psychiatric & TB facilities; the Goodwood CEW also supports the WCGH Emergency and Forensic Pathology Services Clinical Engineering in South Africa Future steps/vision
CEASA is applying to IFMBE for membership as a national member
CEASA, with the resurrected Biomedical Engineering Society of South Africa (BESSA) and the Southern African Health Technology Assessment Society (SAHTAS established in 2015) will form strategic partnerships with relevant stakeholders ‐ including public and private sector healthcare providers, industry and academia ‐ to advance integrated, optimised life‐cycle management of medical devices, equipment and systems in the public sector specifically
Linkages will also be developed and strengthened with CE, BME and HTA colleagues in countries in the African Region since we face similar challenges and have opportunities to address these in a spirit of collaboration and mutual respect, supported by organisations such as the IFMBE and WHO We wish all our colleagues, counterparts, partners and stakeholders a happy and successful Global CE Day
Thank you for taking the time to share our story ….
Mladen Poluta IFMBE CED Board Member