Dr. Robert T Ssekitoleko

Biomedical Engineering Program
Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

About the lecture

Whereas global health is commonly used to refer to healthcare challenges facing low and middle income countries (LMICs), a number of these challenges are also experienced by high income countries (HICs). The burdens of infectious diseases have no boundaries and this more evident in epidemics such as Ebola and Marburg fever. Non-communicable diseases also create enormous challenges around the world and a collective global approach to the problems is needed. Practices in LMICs, for instance, are leading to a great global wave of anti-microbial resistance which presents a number of difficult questions.  Notwithstanding the shared global health challenges, LMICs face specific context based challenges especially with appropriate management of medical equipment. A number of these challenges require multi-disciplinary, multilevel approaches. The lack of spares, appropriate devices for example is caused about by absence of skilled technicians in combination with weak policies or lack of their proper implementation. A biomedical engineer in a LMIC has the task of building capacity but also keeping a keen eye on developing appropriate innovative solutions and technologies especially through international collaborations. These solutions can incorporate areas such as management of donations; working on a very low budget among others. 
This paper discusses the key role a biomedical engineer can play in improving healthcare systems in LMICs. The case studies used are specific to the Ugandan healthcare system.

About the speaker

Dr Ssekitoleko completed his MEng Degree in Medical Engineering at Queen Mary University of London in 2007.  He then held a Teaching Assistant position at the same university for one year. During this time he was involved in teaching a number of course units including Mathematics, Material Science and supervised BSc student projects. He also coordinated a programme entitled Student Centred Learning (SCL) where the students learnt through problem based learning (PBL). After this teaching experience, he specialised in micro-scale design and fabrication techniques when he undertook his Doctoral research in micro-scale ultrasound transducers for diagnosing early stage breast or prostate cancer. Over the last four and a half years, he has been heavily involved in building capacity in the field of biomedical Engineering in Uganda with activities involving training, project management, mentorship and research. He also heads the Biomedical Engineering program at Makerere University. From this, he has developed an interest in in a number of research interests including design and manufacturing of devices appropriate for low resource setting with special emphasis on early diagnostics of different diseases. He is also very keen on Biomedical Engineering education, always investigating innovative ways of teaching and learning in low resource settings. He is interested in combining research interests with teaching and having undergraduate students contribute to the research objectives to improve learning outcomes. He is currently the coordinator of an NIH grant focusing on building capacity for Biomedical Engineering researchers in Uganda. He supervises a number of undergraduate student projects, with many winning international awards. He is also the in-country coordinator of the EWH Duke Engage program and he is going to host the first cohort of students this summer in June 2017.