Training course on 5S Kaizen-Total Quality Management and Continuous Improvement of Research and Management in Sri Lanka, 2024

7 members of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) Staff visited Sri Lanka from 18^th to 30^th August 2024 to learn and observe 5S KAIZEN implementation in the selected institutions with the following training objectives:

The Study tour /training was led by Dr. Wimal KK Karandagoda, Consultant in Sri Lanka, who has various experiences of the introduction of 5S-KAIZEN activities in the medical institutions in Sri Lanka and facilitated the training even for African specialists under JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program in Egypt. Prof. Yujiro Handa and Ms. Emi Onosaka, who provided the 5S-KAIZEN training for NMIMR, joined to facilitate the training implementation.

The training started with the courtesy visit to the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka on Tuesday 20^th August 2024, followed by visits to Lanka Hospital, and the Castle Street Hospital for Women.

Through the visits and discussion with the people implementing QMS on site, the team learned about the ways of quality management implementation in resource-limited environment, impact to the work environment and staff motivation, and importance of a strong leadership to encourage the staff participation.

They also visited to the Medical Research Institute Sri Lanka to have the joint research meeting with the two scientific research presentations from this institute and the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya. The team noted extensive implementation of 5S through the tour in the institute.

The last visit was to the University of Peradeniya where JICA provided grant aid assistance and technical cooperation project at the Faculty of Dental Science. They realized the importance of daily maintenance by observing the equipment and facility which had been in good condition for 25 years after the project completion.

The TQM training provided valuable insights into the principles and practices essential for driving continuous improvement in organizational processes. The training covered critical concepts such as 5S, KAIZEN, and TQM, and offered practical tools for enhancing productivity, efficiency, and overall quality within an organization.

The interactive sessions, and real-world examples enabled a deeper understanding of how to apply these quality management systems effectively. The participants are confident that the knowledge and skills gained during this training will significantly contribute to the advancement of quality management practices within NMIMR. Moving forward, they drew up their action plan to implement these strategies to streamline operations, improve team collaboration, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

The participants concluded that overall, the training was highly beneficial, and they believe that the concepts learned will be useful for measurable improvements in both the quality of work and organizational efficiency.

Additionally, they acquired knowledge to lead quality improvement initiatives and guide teams in adhering to best practices for quality management. The participants are expected to lead the KAIZEN activities in NMIMR to improve their working environment and strengthen Quality Systems.