By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, Nov. 04, GNA – The Ghana Society of Biomedical Engineers has called for specialised training for professionals to ensure optimal healthcare delivery in the country.
According to the society, modern healthcare remained highly technology-driven, requiring specialisation, yet attention to the quality of biomedical engineers in the country remained scant.
The call was made at the 4th National Biomedical Engineer Conference, held in Ho, and on the theme “Quality Healthcare Delivery in Ghana; the role of Biomedical Engineers”.
Mr. George Boadu, President of the Society alleged neglect of the profession by stakeholders, saying the design of present healthcare curriculum did not prioritise biomedical engineering.
He said the lack of sustained efforts at growing specialisation in the precision equipment field caused more medical tools to fall short of required functionality thereby affecting true diagnosis and treatment, and that the Government need intervene in ensuring proper calibration and usage.
Mr. Boadu said: “Our healthcare system is heavily dependent on equipment, yet they are trying to avoid biomedical engineers. We need specialised training to ensure the equipment is working.
“We are needed in ensuring that equipment such as the MRI scanners etc are well calibrated. The risk of getting false negative or false positive readings is high, meanwhile doctors depend on these readings to prescribe medication.
“And so, we are appealing to the Government that there should be specialised training for Biomedical Engineers, and that is when we can ensure that we have quality equipment. With specialised skills we can man machines very well and ensure quality healthcare.”
The President would further appeal to stakeholders to consider prospects for the local manufacture of essential biomedical equipment for the extended benefits.
“Biomedical Engineering has come a long way, and it is time for the country to recognise the role of biomedical engineers in our country,” he added.
Professor Samuel Kojo Kwofie, Head of Department at the Biomedical Engineering, University of Ghana, drew attention to the lack of engineers in the country.
He said Ghana currently had just about 350 biomedical engineers in the pool, and which challenged the quality of health workforce distribution.
“What it means is that how do we ensure the safety of our patients and the efficiency of health equipment.”
Prof Kwofie also mentioned the need for the indigenous manufacture of medical equipment considering the high non-functionality rate, saying that the country recorded about 50 per cent breakdown of foreign made machines, the majority of which are too sophisticated for local repair and are left to rot.
“If we want to cut down the cost of healthcare, we need machines that are locally made,” he said.
GNA