Safe Hospitals, Safe People
Following a dangerous explosion at Murunda Hospital in Rwanda, BHI developed a new safety training program to protect hospital technicians and prevent future accidents.
Last month, Build Health International (BHI)’s Medical Oxygen team visited Kigali and Ruhengeri, Rwanda to conduct medical oxygen training. While BHI has provided hospitals in Rwanda with pressure swing adsorption (PSA) maintenance and management training in the past, this trip was different. This time, BHI unveiled its new safety training curriculum and hosted the first official training at a new regional Training Center.
The training at the Center, located at the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Center Kigali (IPRC), was hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Wagner Foundation, and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). In total, 56 individuals representing 24 hospitals were trained.
Protecting the safety of its workers should be a core value of every health system. Unsafe working conditions result in occupational illness, injuries, and absenteeism, and they constitute a significant financial cost for the health sector. According to the World Health Organization, improving health, safety, and well-being of health workers lowers the costs of occupational harm — estimated at up to 2% of health spending.
Promoting the health, safety, and well-being of health workers, including biomedical technicians, will improve the quality of patient care and increase the resilience of health systems. Training and capacity building is one of many ways to promote safety.
BHI’s oxygen delivery system safety training curriculum is prevention at its finest. The curriculum was developed in response to a safety incident at Murunda Hospital, in rural Rutsiro District of Rwanda. A biomedical technician was injured by a small explosion when connecting an oxygen cylinder to the manifold — which allows medical oxygen to be piped to patients in the hospital. However, a combination of damaged parts and improper technique led to a serious accident and injuries to the technician that required hospitalization.
In response, the Ministry of Health and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), the nation’s central health implementation agency, realized something needed to change.
“Safety training is very, very important because in Rwanda many hospitals are receiving oxygen piping and manifolds for the first time,” explains Jean Christian Singirankabo Ujeneza, a BHI biomedical engineer based in Rwanda “This equipment wasn’t available for [biomedical engineers and technicians] to practice with in school.” He recalls that after the explosion, RBC approached BHI for help.
BHI provided training focused on safety promoting activities, interventions, and environments, and targeted biomedical engineers and technicians who work with high-pressure oxygen cylinders, supply manifolds, and oxygen piping but not PSA plants. Historically, BHI medical oxygen training has been limited to only those who work directly with PSA plants.
The training program integrated conceptual, classroom-based instruction with hands-on instruction in the practical skills technicians need to perform their daily responsibilities safely and independently.
“Trainees were excited to touch the cylinders, to open the valves, and to touch the manifold, “ shares Jean Christian. “It helped them understand and apply the theory we gave them in the classroom.”
BHI also administered a hands-on post test at the end of the safety training. The post-test had a pass rate of 100%, meaning that by the end of the training, all trainees possessed the skills critical for working with high-pressure oxygen systems.
Since the start of its medical oxygen training program, BHI has provided 32 trainings in 16 countries, reaching over 900 trainees. And although previously none of these have been specifically focused on “safety training,” safety has been a critical component of each session. Subjects range from the fire triangle, to proper personal protective equipment (PPE), to preventing musculoskeletal injuries. Whenever possible, BHI also distributes the tools and equipment these trainees need to safely practice new skills and perform responsibilities.
The medical oxygen landscape has evolved exponentially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now is a pivotal time to invest in training and capacity building to ensure lasting impact and sustainability of medical oxygen investments and the well-being of the biomedical engineering workforce. BHI hopes to deliver safety training like this one across a greater number of countries, and in turn reduce hospital accidents.
Pamela Moore serves as Oxygen and Biomedical Training Program Manager at Build Heatlh International. She is passionate about using multilateral solutions to improve healthcare accessibility and affordability, and as such closely aligns with BHI’s mission.
