On June 1, the Inauguration Ceremony for a one-year Medical Engineering (ME) diploma course offered under the Project for Human Resource Development of Medical Engineering of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with technical support from Okayama University was held at the University of Medical Technology in Yangon (UMT-Y), where this course will be taught.

In the ceremony, Dr. Myint Htwe, Union Minister of Ministry of Health and Sports in Myanmar, Mr. Hideo Watanabe, Chairman of the Japan Myanmar Association, Mr. Kazuyuki Takimi, Counselor of the Embassy of Japan in Myanmar, and Mr. Masayuki Karasawa, Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar Office, delivered the opening remarks. “This project marks a momentous milestone in the history of the Ministry of Health and Sports in Myanmar,” said Dr. Myint Htwe, highlighting the significance of the project.

This project is designed to enhance human resource development system of medical engineers capable of maintaining and managing medical equipment indispensable for medical treatment and life-sustaining measures for patients, thereby ensuring better and proper maintenance and management of medical equipment in hospitals in Myanmar.

This ME diploma course is the first of its kind launched in Myanmar. During the project period of the next five years, this course will produce about 100 medical engineers. The course will include lectures and practical sessions at selected hospitals in Yangon, which will be taught by nationally certified clinical engineers dispatched from Japan by the Japan Association for Clinical Engineers . Okayama University is also planning to support Myanmar in developing a licensing/certification system for those trained medical professionals.