The rapid modernization of Angola’s healthcare infrastructure, marked by significant investments in new public and private hospital units, presents a critical challenge: ensuring the human expertise matches the technological sophistication. In response, the Order of Biomedical Scientists of Angola (OBA) has positioned continuous professional development (CPD) not as a supplementary benefit, but as a non-negotiable pillar for national health security and effective return on investment.
This stance was powerfully reiterated during a recent strategic workshop in Luanda. The OBA’s leadership clarified that since the Order’s proclamation approximately one year ago, the mandate for ongoing training has been a cornerstone of its agenda. This focus recognizes a universal truth in laboratory medicine: a state-of-the-art analyzer is only as reliable as the scientist calibrating it, interpreting its results, and ensuring its quality control.
Deeper Context: The High Stakes of Biomedical Science
Biomedical scientists are the often-unsung diagnosticians of healthcare. Their work in clinical pathology, microbiology, hematology, and genetics directly informs up to 70% of all clinical decisions. Therefore, a gap in their skills has a direct, multiplicative effect on patient outcomes. For Angola, aligning professional capabilities with new investments is essential for:
• Accurate Diagnosis: Preventing misdiagnosis and enabling timely, targeted treatments.
• Disease Surveillance: Effectively tracking and managing outbreaks, from malaria to emerging pathogens.
• Research & Development: Building local capacity to participate in and contextualize global medical research.
• Equipment Longevity: Properly trained staff reduce costly errors and extend the operational life of sophisticated instruments.
A Practical Framework for “Continuous Training”
The OBA’s advocacy likely extends beyond occasional seminars. An effective national CPD framework would encompass:
1. Mandatory Credit Systems: Requiring professionals to earn annual training credits through accredited programs.
2. Digital & Hybrid Learning: Leveraging online platforms to deliver standardized training across provinces, overcoming geographical barriers.
3. Specialization Pathways: Creating advanced certifications in high-need areas like molecular diagnostics, clinical chemistry, and immunology.
4. Quality Management Systems: Training in ISO 15189 standards to ensure laboratories meet international accreditation benchmarks, boosting confidence in results for patient care and clinical trials.
The Order’s position is a forward-looking investment in systemic resilience. It underscores that sustainable healthcare advancement is a dual-track process: parallel investment in both cutting-edge technology and the continuous cultivation of the expertise required to wield it effectively. Journalist Lucas Justino. [[PEAI_MEDIA_X]] Click on the audio below and listen: