Northumbria Healthcare Trust takes ultrasound to Kilimanjaro medical
centre
17 July 2008
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, a group of ten hospitals
in Northeast England, has taken a Siemens Acuson P10 ultrasound scanner
to the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Tanzania to
perform obstetric scanning during a healthcare link project.
The system was trialled by the medical team to contribute to the care
of expectant mothers and unborn babies at the centre and in rural health
clinics.
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre
The Acuson P10 is an innovative pocket ultrasound device that weighs
just 700 grams. Its highly portable design and battery capacity make it
ideal for diagnostics in remote locations, providing instant images to
enable a fast and accurate diagnosis. The obstetric team in Tanzania was
able to transport the system between wards, the emergency admission room
and the ante natal clinic, as well as further afield rural Hai District
outreach clinics.
Staff at KCMC were taught by UK Sonographers to assess the
gestational age of the foetus with the P10 and carry out urgent scans in
high risk conditions. It was used in emergency work to confirm foetal
heart beat and placental position before Caesarean section.
Judith Cobb, Ultrasound Lead Professional at Northumbria Healthcare
Trust, travelled to Tanzania in February as part of the Northumbria
healthcare team. She said, “The Acuson P10 was a fantastic diagnostic
tool for the obstetric team in Tanzania to use. As it does not rely on a
power supply we were still able to use the system in remote areas where
a constant electricity supply is not always available, allowing us to
reach a wider range of patients. The instant power-up feature proved
vital in emergency situations enabling staff to quickly make important
clinical decisions.”
Judith Cobb from Northumbria Healthcare Trust with KCMC
staff and patient
“The Acuson P10 is an innovative system that provides healthcare
benefits beyond the traditional hospital boundaries,” said Declan Dunphy,
Performance Products Manager at Siemens Healthcare. “A versatile
ultrasound such as this can enhance a physical examination, providing
visual information that enables patients to receive the most appropriate
care. Its portability offers great versatility inside the hospital
environment and beyond into remote communities.”
The Northumbria Healthcare Trust has well established links with the
KCMC and has assisted the medical centre over several years providing
equipment and implementing clinical training. It is hoping to build on
this success by submitting a research proposal to KCMC with the hope of
setting up a new outreach scan service.
Based in the Hai District, the service would provide the opportunity
for all women to have an accurate dating scan to allow improved
management of high risk pregnancies with safer and more timely
intervention.