Know how transfer
East Africa
- East Africa offers ultrasound training courses only as three-month or longer programmes
- The training involves a lot of theory, but very few opportunities for practical experience
The Foundation SmW
- Teaches ultrasound in a shorter time frame in accordance with the guidelines of European societies
- A course consists of two modules, each lasting four days, held within a year, culminating in a final examination
- Lectures account for a maximum of one-quarter of the course time, whilst practical sessions account for three-quarters
- Intended audience: doctors, radiographers, clinical officers (a role that bridges the gap between doctors and nurses), nursing staff and midwives
- Recommends practising in groups between course modules and offers additional training weeks
- Course participants who attend all course days will receive continuing professional development points, i.e. Kenyan CPD points (Continuing Professional Development points)
- Participants who have attended at least two course modules and have documented 50 pregnancy screening scans of their own are eligible to sit the “Certificate of Completion in Obstetrical Sonography Level 1 and Pregnancy Screening Scan Weeks 20–24” examination
- Certificate for successful candidates, noting that it is endorsed by SGUM and EFSUMB
- Currently specialising in obstetric ultrasound
- Can also offer ultrasound courses in other fields if required
- Procures and arranges the delivery of the ultrasound equipment required to run the course
- Where available, it arranges for good-quality second-hand ultrasound machines to be donated to hospitals and health centres by course participants (in large numbers during the foundation’s first 12 years; today, this only occurs in exceptional cases)
Course structure
Twice a year, over a period of two weeks each time, a total of four ultrasound course modules (two Module I and two Module II) are delivered by highly qualified volunteer experts from Switzerland (or Europe) in collaboration with local instructors. The focus is deliberately on practical training. A course module comprises approx. 10–12 twenty-minute lectures followed by one-and-a-half-hour practical sessions on 6–8 ultrasound machines, each with one instructor and four course participants.
On the left is a sample course programme for Module I
Ultrasound machines
The ultrasound machines required for the course are procured by SmW, shipped carriage paid to the destination airport and, where available, some are also supplied to the hospitals of course participants. These are second-hand machines in good condition, equipped with Doppler functionality and tested to ensure they are in full working order.
