Kenya's Tenwek Hospital receives Aquilion 4 CT system as donation from Toshiba

In an effort to provide remote countries better access to medical imaging technology, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. has donated and installed a refurbished Aquilion™ 4 CT system at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya. As the training hospital and the area's first CT system, physicians plan to use it to perform neurosurgical, thoracic and orthopedic studies, as well as provide training to future neurosurgeons. Toshiba donated the system through Assist International, an organization that works with corporate partners to address the medical needs of emerging countries.

“Four hospitals in Africa, including Tenwek, were chosen to participate, and Toshiba's donation will benefit them greatly.”

"This community-based program was developed in an effort to train more neurosurgeons and thus provide Africans with access to medical professionals that Americans take for granted," said Bob Pagett, president, Assist International. "Four hospitals in Africa, including Tenwek, were chosen to participate, and Toshiba's donation will benefit them greatly."

Tenwek Hospital serves an area with about 2.5 million people. Before the Aquilion 4 was installed, a patient who required a CT scan would have to travel four hours to a hospital in Nakuru, Kenya. The goal of the neurosurgery program is to train medical students through a five-year curriculum who will then stay in the communities where they were trained, giving those people access to skilled medical professionals.

"Our 'Made for Life' philosophy is a deep-running theme in everything we do at Toshiba," said Tim Mahanna, director, Service Technical Operations, Toshiba. "Everyone from the Toshiba management team was immediately onboard when we were approached with the opportunity to help this hospital. We look forward to partnering with Assist International again in the future on other life-changing medical projects."

In addition to the donation of a CT system refurbished to like-new conditions, Toshiba has donated a spare X-ray tube for the facility to have on hand. This is vital, as it will ensure that the facility will be able to maintain and use the equipment for an extended period of time.