GE opens healthcare training and skills centre

General Electric (GE), working in Ghana to support economic growth through infrastructure development especially in the power, healthcare and transport sectors, has opened a new healthcare and skills training centre in Kenya.

The $13 million project forms part of GE’s commitment to supporting sustainable healthcare development in Kenya and other African countries it had signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with.

The GE has similar MOUs with Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Angola and Ethiopia among other Sub-Saharan African countries.

Dr Cleopa Mailu, the Cabinet Secretary for the Kenyan Ministry of Health, in an inaugural address, said the demand for quality healthcare was increasing and, therefore, the training centre would play a critical role in supporting the capacity development of biomedical engineers, radiologists and technicians to improve on healthcare.

He said the new facility would train more than 10,000 healthcare professionals from across Kenya and East Africa by 2020.

"The GE Healthcare Skills and Training Institute would initially offer clinical applications and technical training courses for healthcare professionals in Kenya and East Africa.

“It would be expanded to offer leadership, biomedical and clinical education courses, working with the Ministry of Health, private healthcare providers and other educational partners, " he said.

He said GE Healthcare also signed three new partnerships for skills building in Kenya and East Africa with the Kenya Medical Training College and IntraHealth and Management Sciences for Health, its global partner.

Mr Farid Fezoua, the President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Healthcare Africa, said the commitment to healthcare capacity building would help to reduce the country’s skills gap, improve job prospects and build a solid national healthcare system.

He said further assessment of the impact of Government’s radiology modernisation initiative, being executed by GE, has shown positive trends with increased efficiency, reduced patient waiting times and increased output.

He said the centre would emphasise on the Ministry’s focus on digital transformation to bring better quality healthcare.

In February 2015, the Kenyan Ministry of Health and GE signed a contract in response to Kenya’s Managed Equipment Services plan which includes a four-pillar solution being provided by GE.