Training will focus on essential radiography skills to optimise efficiency
The training partnership between GE Healthcare (www.GEHealthcare.com) and Society of Radiography in Kenya will equip a minimum of 140 radiographers on the latest radiography technologies. Training will focus on essential radiography skills to optimise efficiency
GE Healthcare and the Society of Radiography in Kenya (SORK) today announced a 2-year partnership to train a minimum of 140 radiographers on the latest medical imaging technologies and techniques.
The partnership will build on efforts to achieve Universal Healthcare through capacity building. Under the partnership, SORK will provide accreditation for the participants while GE Healthcare will provide radiography training equipment, content and facilitators for the training sessions targeting radiographers from private and government healthcare facilities.
Speaking during the bi-annual Radiographers Scientific Conference (RASCO) in Mombasa, SORK Council President, Kenneth Wangari, said: “There is need to increase skillsets of healthcare workers, especially in radiography. Despite having qualified radiographers in the country, 90% of radiographers do not have certified speciality training. The recent upsurge in radiography equipment install base and an upward shift in technology on the equipment has also widened the training gap. To improve workflow efficiencies, there is need to improve radiographic equipment handling techniques. We are partnering with GE Healthcare to develop course material, curriculum, trainees and trainer’s manuals, lecture aids, simulations and webinars for online training as per applicable law and regulation.”
Through the partnership, radiographers will be trained on radiation safety and protection, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) focus, use of Contrast Media, conventional imaging and mammo focus, radiotherapy focus, ultrasound focus, management and leadership imaging services and molecular imaging.
Andrew Waititu, General Manager, GE Healthcare East Africa, said GE Healthcare will continue to work with the private and public sector to improve healthcare delivery through training of healthcare professionals. “The partnership with SORK will lead to improved outcomes for patients and the overall healthcare system through localised capacity building”, he added.
The continuous training program will be conducted using GE Healthcare imaging machines and simulation software where applicable at the GE Healthcare Skills and Training Institute, an education facility for healthcare professionals in Karen, Nairobi.
The availability of well-trained radiographers in an ever-evolving healthcare industry remains low despite rise in demand. There is need to provide continuous training specifically focused on various imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) focus where radiographers can acquire specialized skills on modalities.
“The Society of radiographers in Kenya is keen on embracing partnerships that will reduce the radiology specialty certification gap. There is also need for County Governments to facilitate radiographers across the country access essential modality speciality training to ensure capacity use of installed radiographic equipment,” added Kenneth. Kenya currently has 1,400 radiographers. Through the training, the radiographers will be better skilled to take precise imaging for better analysis and referrals hence reducing the cost, time and complexity of inappropriate diagnosis.
The partnership with SORK is part of GE Healthcare’s commitment to support education and training through leveraging its expertise in designing and running technical courses in Healthcare. In 2016, GE inaugurated a healthcare training and skills institute in Kenya designed to train health professionals. Over 1,000 professionals have benefited from the institute since its launch.
![Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) today announces the Colorado XL-series, a new platform of 3.4m printers that extends the proven advantages of Canon's UVgel technology to the 3.2m graphics market. Available in hybrid and roll-to-roll configurations, the modular, field upgradable platform powered by UVgel technology delivers great versatility and exceptional productivity for both flexible and rigid media applications from signage and décor to point of sale and packaging. The Colorado XL-series comprises two easy-to-operate models: the Colorado XL7 roll-to-roll printer and Colorado XL7 hybrid printer. The new series brings the benefits of UVgel to a new market segment with exceptional application versatility across a comprehensive range of media – from banner, paper, vinyl and films to soft signage, heat-sensitive materials, foam board, fluted polypropylene, acrylic, aluminium composite boards and cardboard – providing the flexibility to tackle diverse customer requirements. With print speeds of 70m² per hour in quality mode, 106m² per hour in production mode and up to 211m² per hour in express mode, the system delivers the productivity needed for demanding production environments while accommodating substrates up to 52mm/2 inches thick for rigid applications. The new platform includes multiple technology innovations, such as the UVgel 860 ink set, which has been optimised to cover a wide variety of both rigid and flexible applications. It also provides the proven benefits of UVgel: odourless and instant-dry prints, high mechanical and chemical robustness, dimensional stability due to low-temperature curing, excellent colour consistency, TPO [1] - and VCL [2] -free, and matte and gloss finish without the need of a separate varnish. The Colorado XL-series also incorporates new UVgel 850 PrintHeads. Each printhead has 4,544 nozzles and features automated built-in nozzle performance monitoring and compensation. A single printhead supports two colours simultaneously, so that only two printheads are required to print CMYK, plus an optional third if white is configured. Additionally, the Colorado XL-series has an agile and precise printhead carriage that features UVgel DynamicMotion Control to ensure exceptional print quality even with challenging media. Taking the UV LED curing process to the next level, the Colorado XL-series introduces UVgel FullBeam Curing. This technology uses a unique 3.4-metre-wide LED curing array that, combined with an ingenious mirror system, delivers consistent UV light dosing across the entire print width, guaranteeing exceptional print uniformity over large surfaces and enabling a wider colour gamut. Media handling is optimised by the new UVgel TRIdrive vacuum belt system, which features three interactive rollers and multiple powerful vacuum zones that reduce wrinkling and skewing by automatically detecting and correcting the media positioning. This results in highly repeatable media transport through the printer, ensuring accurate positioning both longitudinally and laterally and enabling razor-sharp applications. Optional features for the Colorado XL-series, which are already available on the highly successful and modular Colorado M-series, include: UVgel White for hassle-free white printing, FLXfinish+ for creative effects using matte or gloss or mixed matte and gloss on the same print without additional varnish, and FLXture for textured finishes that mimic materials like leather, wood or fabric. Mathew Faulkner, Director, Marketing & Innovation, Wide Format Printing Group, Canon EMEA, comments: "For the past decade, Canon has been at the forefront of the inkjet evolution in large format, with market-leading technologies including the Colorado roll-to-roll printer series powered by UVgel technology and the Arizona flatbed printers. Large format print providers are looking for systems that deliver high productivity, versatile applications and reliable quality while addressing the challenge of finding skilled operators – which is why Canon is launching our new, breakthrough Colorado XL-series, an addition to our portfolio that will set a new standard in productivity and versatility. “This innovative solution brings the proven advantages of our unique UVgel technology to the 3.2m market for the first time, combining it with extensive automation and a modular design that will enable customers to extend their application possibilities into markets such as packaging and décor. Print service providers already producing high-value signage and graphics can now leverage UVgel's distinctive finishes, including mixed gloss and matte effects and textured printing, at scale to stand out in these new markets. And with its hybrid capabilities, users can print both roll-to-roll and rigid applications on the same device, using the same ink, the same colour profiles and the same unique features and finishes. For brands, for example, this translates to seamless campaigns that span the full spectrum of applications, ensuring perfect consistency across campaign assets whether they're roll-fed graphics, rigid signage, packaging, or décor elements. This is particularly valuable when these different applications appear side by side in-store, where maintaining that consistent quality and finish elevates the entire brand experience that today's brands demand." The Colorado XL-series will be available from the beginning of 2026 via Canon’s direct sales organisations as well as from accredited partners. For more information about the Colorado XL-series, please visit: https://apo-opa.co/3WltKtM](https://businessinsights.africa/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/canon_prograf-100x70.png "Canon expands large format graphics production portfolio with new 3.4m Colorado XL-series")
