The College of Health Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has received laboratory equipment from Sysmex West and Central Africa Ltd.

The equipment which comprises high-end automated analyzers for blood, bodily function and urine testing are meant to boost teaching and research.

Sysmex West and Central Africa Ltd., an affiliate of Sysmex Europe SE is a Regional Hub for Sysmex activities, offering second level support for Sysmex companies and partners in the West and Central African region in the development of medical equipment.

Managing director of Sysmex West and Central Africa Ltd, Eric Osei believes the move will help bridge the gap between theory and practice.

“We do regularly employ a lot of graduates from the biomedical engineering faculties, medical laboratory scientists and we do have training and it takes a long time to build capacity. We have all been students before and the gap between what you learn in school and industry can be very wide and therefore our idea is, 'why can’t we do this while you’re in school, by the time you get to the teaching hospital or wherever, you’re already abreast of a lot of new parameters?'.

"New parameters help with diagnosis,” he said.

The donation forms part of a Memorandum of Understanding between KNUST and Sysmex to build capacity of students and lecturers on new technologies while forging collaborative research.

Mr. Osei promised to provide continuous support to the university through provision of reagents and access to Sysmex online learning platforms.

Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Prof. Christian Agyare was grateful to Sysmex for the gesture.

KNUST vice-chancellor, Prof. Mrs. Akosua Dickson recognized the role of constructive partnerships in fulfilling the university’s mandate and assured of optimum maintenance of the equipment.