On February 5, 2022, there was a reason to celebrate at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar: the first 16 graduates of the bachelor’s program "Applied Biomedical Engineering" proudly held their degree certificates in their hands. They had studied for three years so that they could now work as biomedical engineers in public health facilities, as trainers, consultants, or sales representatives in the local health sector. Currently, 49 more students are enrolled. 20 will start their studies in March 2022.
A cooperation project for more education and better access to healthcare
Since 2018, B. Braun has been part of the develoPPP program, which aims to train medical professionals and sustainably improve access to qualified healthcare in Kenya and Senegal. The program is an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in partnership with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and other medical technology companies and scientific partners.
Together, a clear goal was pursued and implemented: The establishment of a bachelor's degree program in applied biomedical engineering, the training of teaching staff and the equipping of the training rooms with medical equipment. In three years of study, students can now be taught important theoretical content, for example in mathematics, anatomy, or physics. To be well prepared for the challenges ahead in practice, internships in training laboratories and hospitals are also integrated into the study plans. Thus, students gain specialized knowledge in areas such as hygiene, disinfection, or diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as well as technical know-how for handling medical equipment.
Creating sustainable perspectives - where it is needed
Since 2012, B. Braun, together with other medical technology companies and the GIZ, has been supporting the training of medical professionals in African countries. The strategic alliance creates the necessary conditions in terms of financing, expertise, and know-how transfer in the spirit of "Sharing Expertise". In addition, medical products are exported to almost all countries on the continent. Initiatives such as the Biomedical Engineering Program also contribute to various sustainable development goals defined by the UN. This is one of the reasons why it is planned to expand the program to Ghana in the future.
