Development of the African Surgical Appliance Suitability Index (ASASI)

Approximately 40% of medical equipment in low- and middle-income countries is out of order, representing a huge waste of materials and effort. Medical equipment is often unsuitable for hot, humid and dusty environments. Spare parts for older machines are no longer available and spares for new machines must be procured overseas, which is expensive and time-consuming. COSECSA (see below)wants to develop ASASI (African Surgical Appliance Suitability Index) scoring system for surgical materials and appliances. This shall be an important development in getting equity into the surgical equipment market in Africa. There is an internship position available to contribute to the development of ASASI.

The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) works to improve surgical care in Africa. Their primary objective is to advance education, training, standards, research & practice in surgical care in this region. COSECSA shapes and leads the training of surgeons in the Sub-Saharan region. They have 113 accredited hospitals and 575 doctors currently in training.