Nigerian Navy, US-based firm trains more than 30 naval biomedical engineers, technicians

The Nigerian Navy (NN), in collaboration with a US-based firm, Medshare International on Monday  commenced training of  more than 30 of its biomedical engineers and technicians.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok Ibas said this at the opening ceremony of the medshare international biomedical engineers training at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Ojo, Lagos.

He  said that the training, scheduled for one week, would further enhance  capacity building in the navy.

Represented by the Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Chris Udofia, Ibas  said the training was a fulfilment of the  strategic directive of the naval high command.

“The training will also build on the navy’s credible manpower development to achieve optimal capability of personnel.

“The presence of highly skilled biomedical engineers and technicians are important to quality health care delivery.

“Healthcare delivery all over the world is increasingly dependent on, not only skilled health care professionals, but also the use of diagnostic and therapeutic medical equipment,’’ he said.

He added that the navy recognised the importance of healthcare delivery and had taken steps to continue to acquire modern medical equipment.

“These equipment, which have already been put to use in the various facilities, would require regular maintenance and occasional repairs if faulty.

“This realisation prompted the need to include the training of navy’s biomedical engineers and technicians as part of the agreement with medshare international.

“The training has also been extended to biomedical engineers and technicians from the Nigerian Army and Air Force,’’ the CNS said.

Ibas, however, said that the training would not be exhaustive, following the duration of the training.

“Nominated trainees are, however, advised to make best use of the opportunity and acquire as much knowledge as they can,” he said.

Earlier, the Director, Medical Services, Nigerian Navy, Rear Adm. Edwin Enechukwu, said that the training was organised to enable the navy learn how to maintain and repair some of its medical equipment.

“Manpower must be trained in order to maintain the equipment otherwise attainment of the high quality of healthcare delivery becomes an illusion.

“Consequently, to facilitate provision and sustenance of optimal healthcare delivery, both ashore and afloat, the NN spends a lot in maintaining the medical facilities and training medical personnel,” he said.

The director also said that the participants were carefully selected, advising them to make use of the opportunity.

The representative of MedShare International, Mr Eben Armstrong, told newsmen that the training was paramount to make participants know how to use and repair medical equipment.

“Instead of donating equipment all the time, we should be able to install it and train the end users on how to use it and more importantly, train the technicians and engineers on how to maintain the equipment,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the navy had earlier in the year, taken delivery of some medical equipment worth $1.2 million, donated by the firm.

The equipment are microscopes, ophthalmoscopes, thermometers, nebulizers, centrifuges and stethoscopes

Others are, 24 Hill-Rom Advanta and 26 skyler S2 Hospital Beds with mattresses, 40ft containers with about 4, 000 boxes of brand new medical supplies, among others.