By: Alberta Asanewa Dwirah and Angela Adu-Asomaning
Stakeholders in Ghana’s health sector have called for increased investment in biomedical engineering to strengthen healthcare delivery across the country. They also urged biomedical engineers to move beyond theoretical training and develop strong practical competencies to design innovative solutions to challenges facing health facilities.
The call was made at the official launch of upgraded Bioinstrumentation Laboratories at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana in Accra, under the theme “Partnership for Excellence in Biomedical Engineering.”
Stakeholders emphasised the need to elevate the profile of biomedical engineers as critical partners within the healthcare system.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Allied Health at the Ministry of Health Ghana, Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, described biomedical engineers as central to patient safety.
“Professionals who can install, maintain, calibrate, troubleshoot and innovate around medical systems are the true custodians of patient safety,” he said.
Dr. Awinibuno added that the upgraded laboratories would enhance the skills of biomedical engineers and create opportunities for research and innovation.
“We are pleased because this will strengthen the skills of our biomedical engineers, who are essential to the operation of our health facilities. We also see it as an opportunity to promote research and innovation, enabling trainees to develop biomedical equipment using local resources,” he stated.
Lead Consultant on the project, Prof. Torsten Wagner, noted that revised curricula at the University of Ghana and KNUST would significantly improve students’ learning experience by placing greater emphasis on practical training.
“We realised there was a need for stronger hands-on skills, so our approach has been to build that capacity from the ground up. We are providing practical experience from the early stages of training, followed by structured hospital internships during their studies, and continuous professional development opportunities throughout their careers,” he explained.
Project Manager at GIZ, Dr. Helen Widmer, underscored the broader impact of investing in biomedical engineering capacity.
“When medical equipment is properly installed and well maintained, downtime is significantly reduced. And when diagnostics are accurate, the quality of treatment improves,” she said.
The initiative is expected to improve patient safety, enhance diagnostic accuracy and strengthen local capacity to maintain and manage medical equipment, ultimately contributing to a more resilient health system in Ghana.
