Executive Committee

Biography

A detail-oriented biomedical engineer with strong expertise in the design, development, and maintenance of medical devices and healthcare technology systems. Possesses a solid foundation in biomedical instrumentation, signal processing, medical imaging, and clinical engineering practices. Skilled in integrating engineering principles with medical sciences to improve patient care, safety, and diagnostic accuracy.

Holds a degree in Biomedical Engineering and has experience working in hospital environments, research laboratories, and medical equipment manufacturing settings. Proficient in troubleshooting, calibration, preventive maintenance, and regulatory compliance in accordance with healthcare standards and safety protocols.

Demonstrates competence in areas such as biomedical device design, prosthetics development, rehabilitation engineering, and health technology management. Experienced in collaborating with clinicians, researchers, and multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver innovative and reliable medical solutions.

Committed to continuous learning and technological advancement, with a strong interest in emerging fields such as wearable medical devices, telemedicine systems, artificial intelligence in healthcare, and medical robotics. Outside professional responsibilities, actively engages in research, professional development, and community health initiatives.

Key Achievements

Successfully designed and implemented a low-cost patient vital signs monitoring system, improving real-time monitoring efficiency by 30% in a clinical setting.

Led preventive maintenance and calibration programs for over 200 medical devices, reducing equipment downtime by 25% and ensuring compliance with healthcare safety standards.

Contributed to the development of a prosthetic limb prototype using biomechanical modeling, enhancing patient mobility and comfort.

Coordinated installation and commissioning of advanced diagnostic equipment, including ultrasound and digital radiography systems, within scheduled timelines and budget constraints.

Developed and documented standard operating procedures (SOPs) for medical equipment handling and safety, improving regulatory compliance and audit readiness.

Conducted biomedical equipment training sessions for healthcare staff, increasing proper device usage and reducing user-related errors.

Participated in interdisciplinary research focused on wearable health monitoring devices, resulting in improved patient data accuracy and system reliability.

Implemented a digital asset management system for hospital biomedical equipment tracking, improving inventory control and maintenance scheduling efficiency.

Biography

General Secretary, Association of Medical Engineers and Technologists of Tanzania (AMETT) | Lead Biomedical Engineering Technologist, Bugando Medical Centre. Nziza Paschal Rufutu is a pioneering Tanzanian biomedical engineer and a leading voice for healthcare technology management in East Africa. As one of the few women specializing in hospital medical equipment maintenance in Tanzania, she has dedicated her career to strengthening clinical infrastructure and clinical engineering systems.

Key Achievements

Executive Leadership: Serves as the General Secretary of AMETT, driving national strategy, regulatory advocacy, and professional development for medical technologists across Tanzania.

Clinical Excellence: Oversees critical life-support infrastructure, heavy machinery installation, and oxygen plants at Bugando Medical Centre, where she also serves as the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Champion for quality control.

Regional Advocacy: Actively advances the African biomedical ecosystem by promoting regional knowledge-sharing, capacity building, and the empowerment of women in STEM.

Biography

Rowland Mjumira is a Biomedical Engineer and the President of the Association of Biomedical Engineering in Malawi (ABEM). With five years of experience in medical technology research and innovation, Rowland works as a Research Biomedical Engineer at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences through the Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360) programme. His work involves clinical validation, usability studies and human factors testing of medical devices advancing clinical application and contributing to the development of stronger, more sustainable healthcare systems. He is actively leading efforts to professionalise the field, strengthen national capacity, and align biomedical engineering with Malawi’s healthcare priorities. Through ABEM, he is fostering regional collaboration and advocating for systems-focused approaches that go beyond individual devices.

Key Achievements

A. Medical Device Validation: He successfully supported clinical evaluation, usability testing, and validation studies for essential global health technologies. Notable projects include: BiliDx: A point-of-care device used to test for neonatal jaundice. Celsi Warmer & Celsi Monitor: Continuous neonatal temperature monitoring and warming mattress systems designed specifically for low-resource clinics. BreathAlert: A continuous respiratory rate monitor designed to track infant breathing and help diagnose respiratory distress

B. Academic & Scientific Contributions: Published Researcher: He has co-authored clinical research papers on neonatal health innovations. His work includes a notable pilot study on the implementation of continuous respiratory rate monitors in low-resource settings, published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. 1. Viability of Proxy Users for Usability Testing of Neonatal Devices for Use in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Analysis of Use Errors. 2. Implementation of a continuous respiratory rate monitor intended for low-resource settings: a novel device pilot study, 3. O210. Clinical evaluation of a novel, low-cost continuous respiratory rate and apnea monitor for newborns, 4. Avoid equipment graveyards: rigorous process to improve identification and procurement of effective, affordable, and usable newborn devices in low-resource hospital settings, 5. Design and field evaluation of a lateral flow cassette device for point-of-care bilirubin measurement, 6. Proxy Users for Usability Testing of Medical Devices for Use in Sub-Saharan Africa.

C. Leadership in Biomedical Engineering; President of the Biomedical Engineering Association: He serves as the President of the Biomedical Engineering (BME) association in Malawi, leading advocacy efforts for the integration and expansion of engineering practices within low-resource healthcare systems.