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Perfusion education. Local expertise. Lasting access to cardiac care.
At AGC Tenwek Hospital in Bomet County, Kenya, cardiac care and clinical education work together. The Cardiothoracic Centre treats adults and children while preparing the surgeons and perfusionists who will help sustain and expand cardiac services across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The International Perfusion Association supports this work by donating medical equipment, funding its shipment, and providing grants for perfusion education. The aim is lasting capacity: clinicians with the knowledge, practical skills, and resources to serve their own communities.
Program figures reported in Bob Groom’s November 11, 2026 update.
A 13-unit curriculum combining classroom study, simulation, and clinical experience.
Seven graduates practice in Kenya and one in Rwanda.
Four second-year and two first-year students; five from Kenya and one from Malawi.
Part of the Tenwek College of Health Sciences, the perfusion program works alongside the hospital’s three-year Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship. Training connects technical knowledge with supervised practice and the judgment needed to support a cardiac surgical team.
Students develop their skills in stages, with classroom learning and direct mentorship supporting each step.
Clinical observation and classroom study establish the foundation.
Simulation adds practical preparation and opportunities to rehearse essential skills.
Clinical training begins under the guidance of a preceptor.
Maxwell Chauwa, a clinical officer from Malawi, is one of the students preparing to take these skills home. In the November 2026 update, his expected completion date is September 2027, after which he is expected to return to Blantyre.
The program’s reach also includes continued professional development and regional service. Many graduates have completed six-week fellowships at the Magdi Yacoub Heart Center in Egypt. Tenwek staff have supported seven cardiac missions to Malawi and two to Ethiopia, sharing experience with teams working to strengthen access to care.
Education is built on relationships: students learning from mentors, colleagues sharing experience, and communities supporting better access to heart care. These photographs were supplied with the Tenwek mission update.
Support can take several practical forms: learning materials, computers, notebooks, and audiovisual equipment for the school; conference sponsorship for students; clinical fellowships for staff; and assistance for perfusionists joining regional missions. Experienced clinicians can also volunteer to teach.
The November 2026 update identifies cell savers, including Autolog or Xtra systems, and an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) among equipment needs. Contact IPA to discuss suitable equipment, educational support, or volunteer opportunities.
Based on the program update supplied by Bob Groom, November 11, 2026. Learn more about Tenwek’s cardiovascular perfusion training program.