Building Local Capacity for Biomedical Engineering in Africa: A Strategic Imperative for Health Innovation

Abstract

Africa’s dependence on imported medical technology, coupled with a shortage of locally trained biomedical engineers, undermines healthcare system sustainability and innovation. This white paper explores the state of biomedical engineering (BME) in Africa, identifies capacity gaps, and proposes actionable solutions to develop a skilled local workforce, improve maintenance of medical devices, and support homegrown med-tech innovation.

Introduction

Biomedical engineering sits at the intersection of engineering, healthcare, and innovation. From designing medical equipment to maintaining hospital technologies, BMEs are critical to quality care delivery.

Yet, Africa faces major challenges:

• Over 60% of medical equipment in Sub-Saharan Africa is imported

• Up to 40% of devices in public hospitals are non-functional (WHO, 2022)

• Many African countries have fewer than 10 BME professionals per million people

The lack of trained engineers, poor access to parts, and weak regulatory support make Africa’s health tech ecosystem fragile and donor-dependent.

Why Local BME Capacity Matters

Current Landscape of Biomedical Engineering in Africa

📖 Source: WHO African Biomedical Engineering Capacity Report (2023)
🔗 https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240064416

Key Challenges

1. Lack of Accredited Training Institutions
   Few universities offer biomedical engineering degrees; programs often lack practical exposure.

2. Poor Maintenance Culture
   Many hospitals lack trained staff to maintain or calibrate devices, leading to long downtimes.

3. Limited Access to Spare Parts & Technical Support
   Import-dependent ecosystems delay repair and escalate costs.

4. Brain Drain
   Skilled BMEs often leave for better-paying opportunities abroad or outside healthcare.

5. Weak Regulatory & Procurement Systems
   Unregulated procurement often leads to unsuitable or incompatible devices.

Case Studies

🇬🇭 Ghana – Training Local Engineers for Medical Equipment Management

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) partnered with EWH to create Africa’s first BME degree program with hands-on maintenance modules. Over 200 graduates now serve in hospitals, NGOs, and med-tech startups.

🔗 https://knust.edu.gh

🌍 Engineering World Health – Summer Institute in East Africa

EWH’s Summer Institute has trained over 600 BME students from Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania in hospital-based repairs of oxygen concentrators, autoclaves, and incubators.

🔗 https://www.ewh.org/programs/summer-institute

🇿🇦 South Africa – Public-Private R&D Collaboration

South Africa’s CFRI and CapeRay Medical are developing affordable breast cancer imaging systems, designed and manufactured locally by biomedical engineers.

🔗 https://caperay.com

Strategic Recommendations

1. Expand Accredited Biomedical Engineering Programs

• Support partnerships between ministries of health, universities, and engineering bodies

• Include hospital internship and mentorship components

2. Integrate BME into Health System Planning

• Budget for BME staffing and training in national UHC and hospital infrastructure plans

• Establish BME departments in all referral hospitals

3. Create National Medical Equipment Maintenance Policies

• Require service contracts, lifecycle management, and engineer supervision for all procurements

• Incentivize local sourcing of devices and parts

4. Support BME Entrepreneurship and Local Innovation

• Establish med-tech innovation hubs and maker spaces

• Provide grants and seed funding to local device developers

5. Strengthen Regional Regulatory Frameworks

• Work through the Africa CDC, AUDA-NEPAD, and ARSO to harmonize BME standards

• Establish continent-wide certification and professional licensing programs

Future Outlook

With the rise of digital health, AI diagnostics, IoT-enabled devices, and advanced manufacturing, biomedical engineering will be foundational to the future of African healthcare.

By investing in local capacity today, Africa can move from dependency to sovereignty in health technology—creating jobs, saving costs, and improving patient outcomes.

References (APA 7th Edition)

Engineering World Health. (2023). Summer Institute Report.
https://www.ewh.org/programs/summer-institute

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. (2023). Department of Biomedical Engineering.
https://knust.edu.gh

CapeRay Medical. (2023). Medical Imaging Solutions.
https://caperay.com

World Health Organization. (2023). African Biomedical Engineering Capacity Assessment.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240064416

Africa CDC. (2022). Continental Framework for Health Technology Management.
https://africacdc.org