Written by: Anthony Ogueji
Editors: Nicole Moreno and Sophie Bochaberi
Quality newborn care relies on the availability of medical equipment and its proper maintenance and repair. Without skilled biomedical engineers and technicians/technologists (BMETs), life-saving devices can become unusable, compromising the health of newborns. Continuous training and capacity building are essential for improving healthcare delivery, especially in small and sick newborn care, where well-maintained medical equipment can be the difference between life and death.
Practical Skills for Real-World Challenges
Beyond theoretical knowledge, the training provided hands-on experience in equipment troubleshooting, repair and maintenance. The training was rigorous and highly interactive. Participants underwent pre-and post-training assessments to gauge what they’ve learned, and they provided feedback to their facilitators which ensures continuous improvement in future training programs.
Recognizing this need, NEST360 Nigeria, in collaboration with Save the Children International (SCI), conducted an intensive five-day training for BMETs in Kano State from 20th to 24th January 2025.
The training brought together 33 BMETs from NEST360 and SCI-supported facilities across Abuja, Borno, Kano, Kaduna, and Yobe states. Participants engaged in hands-on sessions covering repairing and maintaining critical newborn care equipment, including oxygen concentrators, radiant warmers, phototherapy units, flow splitters, and CPAP machines.
A participant from Abuja shared how the training deepened his understanding of medical equipment functionality.
One thing I have learned is how important it is to know how to dismantle equipment parts to get to the root cause of any malfunction. Before, I used to look at equipment at the surface level, but now I know how to address any issue. It was a wonderful training.
For many BMETs, these trainings serve as a valuable platform for networking and cross-learning.
I am expressing my thanks to NEST360 and SCI. We have gained practical skills in maintaining equipment essential to saving newborn lives. We also got to network with other BMETs, which allowed us to unite, interact, and learn from one another.
Government Support and Commitment
Key government officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare supported the training, including the Director of Medical Services, the Director of Public Health, and the Permanent Secretary of Health Services. These officials reinforced the importance of BMETs in newborn care delivery and encouraged participants to share their acquired skills with colleagues.
Our role as BMETs is to maintain and repair the equipment needed to save lives. This form of training has exposed BMETs to the knowledge needed to perform this. I urge those who have received this training to return to their facilities and step into the knowledge gained. This is important because the more you share your knowledge with others, the more it stays with you.
Scaling for Impact
Training is a cornerstone of strengthening healthcare systems, ensuring that clinicians and biomedical engineers have the knowledge and skills needed to maintain life-saving medical equipment. To make sure we are reducing the mortality of newborn babies in Nigeria, we need to continue trainings in every facility.
Our team in Nigeria remains committed to equipping biomedical engineers and technicians with the skills they need to scale and sustain newborn care. We recommend looking at our free online resources for clinicians and biomedical engineers designed to be adapted into locally-developed training courses.
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