Govt urged to prioritize procurement of high-quality, safe medical equipment

The Biomedical Engineering Association of Zambia (BEAZ) has called on government to consider serious partnerships with several stakeholders in reviewing medical equipment regulations and policies, especially regarding imports.

Association president, Ganizani Phiri, said this during the Association’s Symposium held in Lusaka on Thursday.

Phiri noted the need to prioritize the procurement of high-quality and safe medical equipment for the well- being of Zambians.

He said while the Zambia Medicines and Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) currently issues importation certificates, it is essential that they also conduct thorough testing of the equipment before granting these certificates.

“In the absence of a dedicated medical equipment regulatory authority, the capacity of ZAMRA should be strengthened to ensure effective regulation and monitoring of medical devices,” Phiri said.

He said this requires significant investment in testing equipment, and government must support this endeavor.

Banda additionally said it is crucial that all authorities mandated to regulate medical devices include biomedical engineers as part of their inspection teams.

“This will ensure a more comprehensive assessment and minimize the risk of misleading service stickers.
The presence of a biomedical engineer during inspections can make a significant difference in ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical equipment before concluding,” he said.

Minister of Health, Sylvia Masebo, said government is aware that the field of biomedical engineering is growing and as such much has to be considered as the country strives to improve equipment functionality for patient care.

Masebo noted the need for biomedical engineering to give in the best through innovations and harnessing the latest healthcare technologies management for improved health care service delivery.

“The is need for concerted efforts from biomedical engineering personnel to adapt in the course of aiming to reach this target through improved management of health care technologies in the health facilities,” she said.

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