The President of the Ghana Society of Biomedical Engineers (GSBE), Dr George Boadu, has expressed concern over the shortage of biomedical engineers in the country, warning that the deficit is undermining the reliability of medical diagnostics and patient monitoring systems. 

He said that less than 10 percent of biomedical engineers required to keep hospital diagnostic and monitoring equipment functioning were currently at post.

Dr Boadu said that although the nation needed about 5,000 biomedical engineers to adequately support public healthcare facilities, only 415 were currently employed.

“This significant anomaly overstretches the few engineers available and adversely affects service delivery. Modern health care depends heavily on technology to guarantee accuracy in diagnosis, disease management, and monitoring,” he added.

Dr Boadu was speaking in a panel discussion at the 10th anniversary celebration of Sysmex West & Central Africa, in Accra, on the theme “A decade of impact and the future of synergies.”

In attendance were key stakeholders from the health sector, academia, and industry who reflected on progress made and explored future synergies aimed at strengthening healthcare technologies in the country.

The company shared various initiatives it was undertaking, including the establishment of a local training academy, support for university laboratories, in-country technical support services, and the provision of diagnostic technologies suited to different healthcare levels. 

Sysmex’s contribution

The acting Deputy Director-General, Dr Caroline Reindorf Amissah, lauded Sysmex West and Central Africa for a decade of transformative contributions to diagnostic services, describing the company’s interventions as life-saving and critical to improved health outcomes in Ghana and the sub-region.

She said the milestone was not only a celebration of innovation and impact but also an opportunity to chart a future of deeper collaboration and shared purpose in strengthening health systems.

“Over the past 10 years, Sysmex has become a pillar of diagnostic excellence across West and Central Africa.

Your contributions have strengthened laboratory systems, enhanced disease detection, and improved clinical decision-making,” she said. 

Dr Reindorf Amissah noted that the impact of Sysmex’s work in the country had been evident through the deployment of advanced haematology and clinical chemistry platforms, capacity building for biomedical scientists and laboratory technicians, as well as support for national screening programmes and outbreak response efforts.

She explained that the GHS, whose mandate included public health screening and disease surveillance, had benefited significantly from the company’s diagnostic support in areas such as cervical and breast cancer screening, as well as the management of disease outbreaks.

“We are currently dealing with outbreaks such as MPOX, and as a service, we partner with diagnostic institutions to support our response.

Sysmex has been in the lead in doing this.

These are not just technical achievements; they are life-saving interventions,” she stressed.