Project News

3rd KAIZN TOT was organized in Mbeya Consultant Hospital (MRH) from May 6th to 10th, 2013. First started in 2011, this training of trainers (TOT) seeks to enhance the capacity of leaders from seven hospitals implementing KAIZEN activities in Tanzania. The country is among 15 African countries under JICA's Triangular Cooperation Program, known as the "Program of Quality Improvement of Health Services by 5S-KAIZEN-TQM". Tanzania is leading other countries with more public hospitals implementing 5S-KAIZEN activities. Among 60 hospitals implementing 5S-KAIZEN activities, Mbeya Consultant Hospital (MRH) has most advanced KAIZEN cases, and this TOT was made possible in collaboration with MRH. The participants, altogether 56, came not only from Tanzania but also from Kenya, Uganda and Malawi. They visited MRH and observed their good practices.

The TOT was designed for hospital leaders to master KAIZEN Approach which allows improvement of delivery of quality health care services and hospital management through team work and use of inexpensive and affordable tools in resource-scarce environment. The training adopts combined methods from lecture, practice to observation. Most of the lectures and practical sessions were facilitated by the MoHSW counterparts, national hospital staff, many of whom are former "trainees" of the same training.

A participant from Kenya, while congratulating achievements of MRH as "African Model", expressed desire to become "Kenyan Model" for other Kenyan hospitals.

As the participants selected KAIZEN theme for each hospital, they are to implement KAIZEN activities as "KAIZEN Leaders" for the next six months. The Project will continue to support them through 5S Consultation Visits organized biannually by the Project for all the hospitals implementing 5S-KAIZEN activities.

Participants developing Fish Bone Diagram for each hospital to identify root cause for selected theme.

Participants using Pareto Chart to explain changes made before and after KAIZEN activities.