Building an international learning network for point-of-care ultrasound in Mwanza region, Tanzania

Rian Jager 2022

This year we have started the project “Building an international learning network for point-of-care ultrasound in Mwanza region, Tanzania”. This is a collaboration between Radboudumc in Nijmegen, Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania, Sekou Toure Regional Referral Hospital in Mwanza and the District Hospital of Sengerema. It builds on the rapidly advancing diagnostic techniques in bedside ultrasound (point-of-care ultrasound or POCUS) and aims to improve the clinical decision-making of local health professionals.

We will focus on training local teachers and building a platform for the exchange of ultrasound images to facilitate the continuous professional education of healthcare workers in Tanzania and the Netherlands.
Through qualitative research, we hope to find out what the attitudes and needs of local health workers are regarding POCUS and workplace learning. We will then use design-based research to develop a teaching module for POCUS training. Based on the qualitative research and an analysis of existing learning materials, we will design a training module for POCUS in the local setting. We aim to train frontline clinicians who work in the emergency departments of hospitals, where quick diagnostics and clinical decision-making are essential.

We aim to develop a learning network that will have a lasting impact on local health workers, encouraging continuous professional development, bilateral learning opportunities and collaboration between students and teachers. Gaining knowledge on how to build such an international learning network and POCUS educational training modules will help future teaching programmes on how to overcome existing barriers and make a sustainable impact.