Namibia’s response to its HIV/AIDS epidemic has been hindered by a lack of qualified medical technologists, who play a crucial role in HIV care and treatment by informing decisions related to ART, as well as the
diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections.
Currently, there are only 160 medical technologists in the country and the infrastructure and expertise to train more lab professionals does not exist.
Members of a Twinning Center partnership established in December 2007 with PEPFAR support are working
to change this by launching a new bachelor’s degree
program in medical technology. The CDC-funded
partnership links the Polytechnic of Namibia in
Windhoek with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock.
Drawing on UAMS’s extensive experience training medical technologists and managing an effective
medical technology program, partners are working to build the institutional and human resource capacity needed to effectively support Namibia’s laboratory
services.
The overall goal of the partnership is to develop a
four-year medical technology degree program at the
Polytechnic of Namibia.
Specific objectives are to:
- Enhance the quality of medical diagnostics services in Namibia by increasing the number of medical technologists (Bio-medical Scientists);
- Strengthen the Polytechnic’s capacity to provide continuing education to practicing scientists; and
- Strengthen the Polytechnic’s the capacity to deliver a medical technology curriculum in keeping with international standards and ensure that key student competencies are achieved.
To date, partners have conducted three continuing
education workshops for practicing healthcare
professionals. The most recent offering was on the topic of “Acute Care Pediatric Hospital Pharmacy: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”
Upcoming activities include professional exchanges
focused on developing the Polytechnic’s laboratory
curriculum for microbiology, hematology, clinical
chemistry, and cellular pathology.
Updated June 8, 2009
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