As medical equipment plays an increasingly important role in diagnosis and treatment, biomedical engineers are becoming essential players in the healthcare system. At the West African Polytechnic Institute (IPOA), a new laboratory donated by "La Chaîne de l'Espoir" (Chain of Hope) reinforces this dynamic by providing students with practical tools to master the most common and critical hospital technologies.

For the president of IPOA, Professor El Hadji Ibrahima Sall, the issue goes far beyond simple technical training. "Diagnosis and therapy will increasingly be carried out by machines. It is becoming essential to train engineers capable of understanding, maintaining, and developing these devices," he says.

This is why "the structure relies on expert teachers and a network of international academic partners."

Recently, a former director of the École Polytechnique de Marseille gave a lecture as part of this partnership. The institute also distinguishes itself through its scientific contributions.

Several students have published in international journals and have been selected for doctoral programs in North America and Europe. "During the Covid-19 pandemic, the IPOA teams developed sterilization devices, masks and protective equipment, and other solutions recognized by the international press," the professor noted.

Before emphasizing that "today, research is moving towards artificial intelligence applied to health, as well as innovations using local medical products, particularly in anesthesia and in the study of emerging diseases."

According to Professor Sall, the equipment donated by La Chaîne de l'Espoir meets clearly identified needs. "The teachers in charge of the program have defined the pedagogical requirements. All the equipment will be used and will have an immediate impact on the training."

He added: "In a world where technology is becoming a pillar of healthcare, their role has never been more important, which is why a new generation of biomedical engineers is preparing."

A strategic donation to fill the practice gap

Jean-Baptiste Lamine Diome, a biomedical engineer and regional representative for La Chaîne de l'Espoir (Chain of Hope), understands the importance of this gesture for future professionals. "In many biomedical training programs, what's really lacking is practical experience. Yet healthcare facilities need technically sound engineers capable of resolving recurring breakdowns such as those of scanners, X-ray machines, or ventilators," he explains.

“Providing students with a realistic technical environment allows them to handle equipment used daily in operating rooms and hospital departments. Teachers can thus simulate breakdowns, set up emergency scenarios and confront students with real-world problems,” he continued.

The new laboratory put into service is designed as a faithful reproduction of a modern operating room. It includes, in particular, an image intensifier (X-ray), lead aprons, an operating table, an anesthesia ventilator, a multiparameter monitoring system, a defibrillator, syringe pumps, an electrosurgical unit, a surgical lamp, and mucus aspirators.

Thanks to this equipment, students can train on critical devices, which are often the source of breakdowns in hospitals. This training is essential to meet the needs of African healthcare facilities. The collaboration will continue with the upcoming establishment of a dedicated dialysis laboratory and a biological analysis laboratory.

from a batch of equipment handed over in 2022.