Clinical engineering online courses for Africa

In this paper is described one of the most interesting new projects of the Clinical Engineering Division of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE/CED). This project is denominated “Electronic courses (E-courses) for developing countries”. The aim of this project is to train people living in developing countries on the activities involving medical equipment maintenance and management, using a virtual learning system for the lectures. The main outcome is the development of a strategy that can support training of Clinical Engineers as well as Biomedical Equipment Technicians. A system that can, at low price, develop training courses in several parts of the world, using distant and local expertise, not limited to language barriers. The E-Course project design began in late 2015. The initial focus has been put on three African countries: Gambia, Zambia and Mozambique. Today the project has designed two main streams for 2017 and 2018. The challenge is now keeping involving the tar-get countries to be sure to fit and fulfil their needs. A desirable goal is the creation of a sort of “experts bank”, involving many of the IFMBE structures such as divisions and committees, to have a dynamic list of professionals that can be consulted or asked to travel to specific destinations. This will be an important outcome that will facilitate the passage from this pilot experience to a project addressed to other developing countries all over the world.