Training in Ultrasound and Echocardiography

Since 2016, we have implemented a training programme for sonography and echocardiography. In addition to daily bedside training in abdominal and point-of-care ultrasound and echocardiography, regular courses in ultrasound and echocardiography are held. Since 2018, nine courses in point-of-care emergency ultrasound and obstetric ultrasound have been completed, in collaboration with the Klinik Hirslanden, Zurich, and the Stiftung für medizinischen Wissenstransfer (SmW), Switzerland: Each course was attended by up to 26 participants from all over Tanzania; to date, five sonographers have passed the exams in both point-of-care (POCUS) emergency and obstetric sonography, eight in POCUS, and six in obstetric sonography, and are now certified by the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) after passing the exams according to the requirements of the Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Ultraschall in der Medizin (SGUM) and EFSUMB guidelines. Six participants are already teaching ultrasound courses. In 2020, the first ultrasound course taught exclusively by local instructors was completed.

Since 2020, two echocardiography courses have been held in collaboration with the Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Basel. One echocardiographer with skills according to the latest international recommendations and guidelines, who has performed more than 3,500 echos according to these guidelines, and five other doctors are currently being trained in echocardiography.

Next planned ultrasound courses in 2022 at the SFRH, Ifakara:

• 21- 25 February 2022: 1st course in vascular ultrasound and vascular surgery, in collaboration with the Department of Angiology, University Hospital Basel, and Department of Vascular Surgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, Switzerland
• 20 - 23 June 2022. Refresher course in abdominal ultrasound and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), in collaboration with PD Dr Jan Tuma, Uster, Switzerland.