Project News

From December 2 to December 15, 2022, a country focused training "Quality Improvement through 5S-Kaizen-TQM Approach" was conducted in Tokyo, Japan. 10 health officers from different organizations such as the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Provincial Health Executives, Central Hospitals, and Provincial Hospitals, successfully completed this training and acquired knowledge and skills for promoting quality improvement activities including 5S-KAIZEN-TQM Approach. They will be expected to disseminate their acquired knowledge to others in their organization and play a key role in the project in future.

Group photo at the closing ceremony of the training
(December 15, 2022)

Overview of the Training Program

The training program combined classroom lectures, practical training, group discussions, and study visits to hospitals in Japan, and also adopted Active Learning for drawing out active participation of the trainees, in order to facilitate in-depth learning. The following is an outline of the training objectives and topics.

[Training Objectives]

1. Participants are able to acquire knowledge and skills of 5S-Kaizen-TQM method to improve their management skills.
2. Participants are able to make action plans with understanding the implementation status of 5S-Kaizen-TQM method in Japan and other countries.

[Main Training Topics]

1. Presentation of inception report (current situation including challenges) by trainees
2. Quality and safety in healthcare service, hazard prediction training
3. Outline of Japan Council for Quality Health Care
4. Basic principles, outline, and implementation methods of the 5S-KAIZEN-TQM approach
5. Development of implementation structures and monitoring and evaluation methods for effective implementation of quality management activities in a hospital
6. Study visits to two hospitals in Japan to observe quality management activities
7. Preparation and presentation of action plans by trainees, etc.

Lecture on Process Flow Chart by Dr. Ayuko Yasuda of Fujita Health University Hospital
(December 5, 2022)

Practice of 5S (December 7, 2022)

Study visit to Fujinomiya City General Hospital to observe 5S practices (December 9, 2022)

Mr. Suzuki, JICA expert standing at right, giving advice on QC story (December 14, 2022)

Results of Training

From the results of the training evaluation questionnaire, it was confirmed that the trainees were well satisfied with the training course. In addition, it was implied that the trainees' level of knowledge on the 5S-KAIZEN-TQM approach was improved from the result of the pre and post test. The average score at the end of the training increased by more than 10 points compared to that at the beginning of the training as shown below.

Comparison of pre-test and post-test results

On December 15, the last day of the training course, each of the trainees presented own action plan for next 4-month-action after returning to Zimbabwe. It was observed that several topics which were taught during the training course have been accommodated well in their plan, such as "introducing hazard prediction training at the workplace," "starting 5S activities at the workplace" etc.

Ms. Mafiosi, Quality Management and Patient Safety Directorate, Ministry of Health and Child Care, presenting her action plan (December 15, 2022)

Mr. Miyamoto, JICA Expert, making a contribution to improve their plan (December 15, 2022).

Through the Project, we would like to provide a local support so that the action plan developed this time can be realized and the efforts of each trainee can contribute to improving the quality of healthcare service provision. The Project promises to collaborate with the trainees during the implementation of the Project: we recognize this is the essential for successful implementation of the Project.

In closing, let us express our deepest gratitude to all the trainees who actively participated in the training and to all those involved for their support in organizing the training.

Group photo taken on the way back from a visit to Fujinomiya City General Hospital
(December 9, 2022).