Educational sessions exposed practitioners to latest techniques and technologies on medical imaging; More than 100 radiologists and radiographers from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania attended the sessions on “Interventional Radiology”; Leading institutions have recognized the value of intra-operative imaging to help clinicians confidently and more completely resect tumours that previously seemed inoperable.

GE Healthcare (GEHealthcare.com) has just finished conducting a series of educational sessions in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania targeting radiologists and radiographers. The educational sessions, which were attended by more than 100 healthcare practitioners, introduced participants to the latest techniques and technologies on medical imaging.

Andrew Waititu, General Manager, GE Healthcare East Africa, said GE (GE.com) is committed to supporting localised capacity building.  “Technology is constantly improving. Our focus is to upskill healthcare professionals through providing regular and meaningful education solutions that will enable healthcare professionals create measurable impact.”

Targeting practitioners from both public and private healthcare facilities in the region, the one-week roadshow exposed participants to cutting edge imaging trends and techniques happening outside East Africa.

The educational sessions focused on “Interventional Radiology” (IR) which refers to a range of techniques that rely on the use of radiological image guidance (X-ray fluoroscopy, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to target therapy with precision.  IR techniques are minimally invasive and have recognised advantages such as reduced risks, shorter hospital stays, lower costs, greater comfort, and quicker convalescence.  The effectiveness of treatment is often better than with traditional treatments.

Leading institutions have recognized the value of intra-operative imaging to help clinicians confidently and more completely resect tumours that previously seemed inoperable.

Speaking after the session in Nairobi, Dr Beatrice Mugi, the Chairperson of the Kenya Association of Radiologists (KAR), said: “Continuous education and re-education is a key component in ensuring that our local practitioners stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices. This is critical as healthcare is a rapidly evolving sector with new ways of battling health conditions being discovered every day.”

The educational sessions are part of GE’s commitment to support education and training to improve health outcomes and are planned to take place quarterly. In 2016, GE inaugurated a healthcare training and skills institute in Kenya designed to train health professionals. Over 1000 professionals have benefited from the institute since its launch.