Medical Centers of Excellence

Together with our partners, we establish and promote medical excellence to strengthen healthcare systems in sub-Saharan Africa. We work closely with local hospitals in the Lake Zone of Tanzania, an area of 17 million people. Since our inception, we have partnered with Bugando Medical Centre (BMC), one of Tanzania’s largest hospitals, and its associated medical school, Catholic University of Allied Health and Sciences (CUHAS), to build high-impact programs that are locally led (learn more about our implementing partners). Given our deep roots in the Lake Zone, we develop programs in the area that can be replicated throughout sub-Saharan Africa (learn about our expansion strategy).

Over the years, we have built capacities for improving healthcare delivery by helping to upgrade infrastructure, invest in leadership development, and strengthen essential work systems with our partners. Now, in addition to maintaining our ongoing partnership and support, we are continuing to work on operational improvements and to strengthen core processes with BMC to promote biomedical excellence with our Healthcare Technology Management Program.

Healthcare Technology Management

A hospital’s ability to effectively treat patients rests on the usability of its equipment, technology, and generator power. Without the appropriate instruments available, clinicians may be forced to delay care, cancel procedures, or treat patients in difficult conditions.

We are transforming Lake Zone patient care by establishing East Africa’s first Center of Excellence in Biomedical Engineering at BMC. Through Healthcare Technology Management (HTM), we partner with members of BMC’s Engineering Department to strengthen its capacity to maintain and repair equipment at the Hospital and throughout the region.

We take a holistic approach to strengthening engineering capacity

Engineering Best Practices: We embed a culture of performance measurement with management tools like Key Performance Indicators, workplace organization, and defined roles and responsibilities.
Critical Systems & Processes: We integrate fit-for-purpose systems and ways of working, like automated performance dashboard and visual job trackers, that enable engineering excellence.
Innovative Infrastructure: We design purposeful and innovative infrastructure that improves productivity and enables performance. Click here to see the new workshop!
People & Training: We deliver holistic and targeted talent development to sustainably raise confidence and service standards.
Strong Partnerships: We build off our years’ long partnership with BMC leadership and utilize co-investment models to ensure long-term sustainability.
Sustaining Technical Investments: We ensure the long-term impact of our technological investments from other programs by ensuring capabilities exist to maintain it.

Our Work