Royal Philips has inaugurated a medical training simulation lab on the University of Johannesburg’s premises, during a stopover of Philips’ fifth consecutive pan-African Cairo to Cape Town roadshow.

The project will contribute to the hands-on training of medical students in South Africa by providing accurate simulations in imitated medical emergency settings, said a statement.

The Simulation Lab project is part of Philips’ ambition to improve the quality of healthcare in South Africa through meaningful solutions, innovations and partnerships, it said.

Philips has put emphasis on education and training, recognising that lack of availability of trained and skilled healthcare professionals is an increasing challenge across Africa.

It has equipped the Simulation Lab at the university with medical equipment and diagnostic devices intended to facilitate the exposure of emergency care students and academic staff to current medical technologies and adequately prepare them to operate under a pressurised and intense work environment.
 
Dr Craig Lambert, head of the department of Emergency Medical Care at the university, said: “It is important that students have a fully incorporated curriculum with simulation as a key component of teaching and assessment. Up until recently, staff and students made use of classrooms that were not purposefully designed for simulation-based learning.

“We started to explore ideas around creating an integrated, multi-disciplinary laboratory that would focus on teaching and assessment of clinical skills in a simulation environment. As a company focused on innovations in the healthcare sector, Philips has proved to be the ideal partner to bring this Simulation Laboratory concept to life.”

The South African Department of Higher Education and Training has also played a key role in this project by awarding a clinical training grant to assist the university in improving the clinical competencies of health professional graduates, and getting the Simulation Lab up and running, said the statement.
 
The Simulation Lab is divided into four wards: an ambulance simulation room, an emergency department representing casualty simulation, a general ward and an intensive care unit (ICU).

The company will also provide appropriate implementation training (on a “train the trainer” basis), as this will be central to the success and sustainability of the lab.
 
Peter van de Ven, vice president, Philips Healthcare Africa, said: “Through our ongoing partnership with one of the most respected universities in South Africa, Philips is contributing much needed resources to ensure that there is a highly trained and qualified healthcare workforce for the public to rely on.

“We are helping to transform healthcare in South Africa by enhancing the individual performance of the next generation of healthcare professionals, which will ultimately benefit the patients in the form of good, reliable care”.
 
The partnership between Philips and the university will run over a three-year period and will support research opportunities related to new technologies in the emergency care environment, said the statement.

These learnings will contribute to Philips’ investments in healthcare research and development, it added. - TradeArabia News Service