Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center

In patient care

Our collaboration spans across number of specialties supporting and strengthening capacity of different KCMC departments. Over the years, different NUFFIC Erasmus+ International Mobility grants have been obtained to support collaborative efforts.

• ENT

  The collaboration that started over 15 years has contributed to KCMC being a leading institute in ENT in Tanzania providing access to high quality services and safe surgeries for Tanzanian citizens for conditions affecting ear, nose, and throat.

• Anesthesia

  Collaboration on teaching, staff exchange and infrastructure improvement in anesthesia contributed to improved safety and quality of anesthesia services in Moshi and the western region of Tanzania.

• Infectious diseases and clinical microbiology

  Radboudumc and KCMC work together to improve infectious disease care, infection prevention and diagnostic services. KCMC expanded capacity of trained microbiologists and ID specialists.

• Internal medicine/ER

  Internal medicine department has continuously received support rom Radboudumc, starting with the establishment of the endoscopy unit more than 15 years ago. During 2022, point of care ultrasound training was delivered on site to Tanzanian internists and doctors working in the ER.

• Pathology

  Collaboration contributed to the expansion of pathology services and training of pathologist. MMED training at KCMC will commence in the near future.

• Genetics

  Testing for heritable cancers has started.

• Nutrition

  Nutrition: Considering nutrition as one of the significant preconditions for better health outcomes, especially for hospitalized patients, Radboudumc and KCMC have worked on improving hospital meal services, using assessment of nutritional condition techniques and recording patient nutritional status in the electronic patient file.

• Orthopedics

  For over 15 years, the exchange of medical specialists and residents in orthopedics has enhanced patient care, particularly for individuals with spine injuries and other orthopedic conditions.

• Rehabilitation

  Collaboration played a pivotal role in establishing the rehabilitation unit. More recently, faculty exchange initiatives have been initiated with the Faculty of Rehabilitation.

• Urology

  Providing specialized services for pediatric population as one of the key priorities of both Radboudumc and KCMC, has led to development of pediatric urology capacity within KCMC.

• Fertility

  Being one of the important aspects of life, fertility is among the more recent areas in which collaboration was started. Collaboration includes training for Tanzanian fertility lab technicians at Radboudumc, and providing assistance for improvement of infrastructure for fertility treatment at KCMC.

• Nursing

  Nursing has become a critically important profession, and stepping up the skillset and qualifications of nurses is pivotal to moderl healthcare systems. Radboudumc provided training in neurology nursing at the new Unit for stroke patients at KCMC, and two institutions jointly initiated interprofessional learning through a nursing exchange program.

In education

Radboudumc and KCMC have collaborated in capacity building and upgrade of competencies for Tanzanian doctors through:

• Improvement of clinical skills
• Exchange of undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Organizing postgraduate courses
• Supporting students throughout Bachelor and master phase
• Providing external examiners
• Organizing clinical elective international health
• Conducting research elective modules

In research

Over the years, more than 15 Tanzanian PhD students have successfully defended their PhD at Radboud and new PhD students are still starting under joint supervision. The collaboration also resulted in the establishment of KCRI in 2009. Examples of research projects are:

• Functional Genomics Africa: The first African cohort of the Human Functional Genomics Project was established in Kilimanjaro region and follow up cross-sectional and intervention studies are performed. Read more on The Human Functional Genomics Project - Radboudumc.
• Different EU funded trials/projects: KCMC/KCRI/KCMUCo and Radboudumc partner in the EDCTP funder EACRR3 program, as well as in different EU-funded projects, including PROTID (protid-africa.com), JPI-HDHL, JPI-AMR

Diagnostics and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance TARGET

The JPI-AMR grant has been awarded to Quirijn de Mast and Marien de Jonge, theme Infectious diseases and global health, the Charles University Prague, and the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Moshi, Tanzania. The project entitled: ‘Prevention of antibiotic resistance by TARGEted Treatment of pneumonia in children (TARGET)’ will be coordinated by Marien de Jonge.

Read more: JPI-AMR grant - For Quirijn de Mast and Marien de Jonge - Radboudumc.

ENT department in Tanzania

The Radboudumc has been collaborating with the KCMC in Tanzania for twenty-five years. A large regional hospital in Moshi, where patient care, education, and research take place. Niels van Heerbeek, an ENT specialist at the Radboudumc, has been involved in this for thirteen years.

ENT specialist Niels van Heerbeek on his work in Tanzania: "The ENT department is now run by local colleagues."

Read more (in Dutch): ‘Ik ondersteun mijn Tanzaniaanse collega’s bij ingrepen waar ze zelf niet uitkomen' - Radboudumc.

Tanzanian and Western diets versus inflammation

A team of researchers from Radboud university medical center in the Netherlands, the LIMES Institute at the University of Bonn in Germany and the Kilimanjaro Clinic Research Center in Tanzania believe that this increased activity of the immune system contributes to the rapid increase in non-communicable diseases in urban areas in Africa.

Read more on Less inflammation with a traditional Tanzanian diet than with a Western diet - Radboudumc.

Tackling antibiotic resistance

Intensivist Jeroen Schouten recently started a knowledge development program in Tanzania with his team. The program focuses on broadening knowledge about antimicrobial resistance and developing and implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals in Tanzania and several other East African countries.

Read more (in Dutch) on Radboudumc deelt kennis over aanpak van antibioticaresistentie ver over de grenzen - Week van de Antibioticaresistentie 18-24 november - Radboudumc.

African-European research partnership

Radboud leads a new African-European research partnership on infection, immunity and inflammation.

The universities united in the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild) are starting 17 research clusters aimed at changing the nature of African-European research collaboration. These clusters emphasise equality as a prerequisite for excellent and impactful research. One such research cluster, in the field of infectious diseases, immunity and inflammation, is led on the European side by Radboud university medical center. The intention is also that non-medical disciplines of Radboud University make a contribution to the partnership.

Read more on Radboud leads new African-European research partnership on infection, immunity and inflammation - Radboudumc.