From October 21 to 25, Ifakara Health Institute, in collaboration with partners from the Temeke Regional Referral Hospital, the Swiss TPH, and Ultrasound Learning Center Hirslanden in Zürich, held a hands-on Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training aimed to equip clinicians and nurses from across Tanzania with advanced ultrasound techniques for critical care.

Held at St. Francis Regional Referral Hospital in Ifakara, this marked the 12th edition of the course and another significant step in strengthening healthcare delivery through practical and technology-driven solutions. It follows a similar training held in May earlier this year, both aimed at building capacity in the medical field. The five-day program underscores Ifakara's ongoing commitment to improving healthcare services through practical, innovative solutions.

The program targeted clinicians and nurses with prior experience in diagnostic ultrasound, focusing on strengthening hands-on skills for point-of-care diagnostics. In resource-limited settings, these skills are crucial for improving patient outcomes by enhancing diagnostic capabilities.

Throughout the week, 25 participants received training to perform POCUS according to international guidelines, enabling them to accurately interpret sonographic findings and integrate these with clinical information for accurate diagnoses. The training included theoretical lectures and hands-on sessions using volunteer patients from SFRRH, ensuring that participants gained expertise in performing and interpreting ultrasound scans. Additionally, the course introduced contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to clinicians already experienced in sonography.

Approved by the Medical Council of Tanzania (MCT), participants who passed the final exam earned 20 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points, boosting their professional growth and enhancing their expertise in ultrasound technology.

The course was organized by an esteemed panel of medical professionals from SFRRH, including Dr. Dominick Raffael, physician; Dr. Elias Marandu, deputy clinical director; and Dr. Winfrid Gingo, clinical director and acting general director of the hospital. Joining them are experts from Ifakara Health Institute, Dr. Andrew Katende, a physician; PD Dr. Med Martin Rohacek, a physician; Prof Dr. med Maja Weisser, a specialist in infectious diseases; Valentine Mteki, a Research Assistant; and Edgar Enzigard, a Research officer.

Additional experienced instructors with extensive expertise in ultrasound and emergency medicine, included Dr. Helena Machibya, a radiologist at Temeke Regional Referral Hospital; Dr. Elias Marandu, an ENT surgeon and certified sonographer; Faraja Kitila, Issa Shabani Abdallah, George Mbunda, and Victor Myovela are all board-certified sonographers working at the EMD of the Hospital at the high dependency unit – who all contributed to the program.

From Switzerland, PD DR Jan Tuma, PD Dr Sabine Schmidt-Weitmann, and Dr Roland Stieger, all very experienced sonographers, provided additional instructions.

In their closing remarks, the instructors praised the young clinicians and nurses for successfully completing the course. They encouraged them to apply their new skills for good while continuing to build their expertise, emphasizing that "their journey has only just begun."

More photos from the training: https://ifakarahealthinstitute.smugmug.com/12th-Point-of-Care-Ultrasound-POCUS-Training