About Centres of Education and Locations

Mission:

The WFUMB Centers of Education (COE´s) shall provide education in medical ultrasound in countries where there is a need. They should grant recognition to participants after completion of courses, accumulate ultrasound related reference materials and serve as reference centers for the region, in which they are situated.

WFUMB Center of Education (COE) is the name for an institution, which offers education in ultrasound for doctors and medical personnel, regularly (at least once a year). It has to be recommended by the ultrasound society of its country or region and recognized by WFUMB. A dedicated and responsible person is appointed as Director and is in charge of the COE.


History:

Centers of Excellence (COE`s) commenced in the late nineteen nineties and were originally a project of WHO. Harald Østensen, a former medical officer of WHO, had the idea to establish centers for education in basic radiology for developing countries, with the aim of one center in each continent of the world.

The Global Steering Group for Education and Training in Diagnostic Imaging was founded by Østensen and chaired by WHO to improve the co-operation between like-minded organisations working on similar projects. Former WFUMB president, Barry Goldberg initiated the closer co-operation between WHO and WFUMB.

H. Østensen stressed his special interest for the promotion of ultrasound in developing countries and after discussions with Harald Lutz, it was agreed and decided that the centers for ultrasound should be founded separately from the centers for basic radiology and under the responsibility of WFUMB.

WFUMB founds the COE`s in cooperation with its regional member-organization and based on a formal contract with the national societies for ultrasound.


Centers of Education:


Future Plans of WFUMB COE’s:

WFUMB has it as its main purpose to bring sustainable ultra sound to all regions of our world.

According to WHO approximately 2/3 of the worlds population has no access to medical imaging of any kind.

Through our Centers of Education WFUMB supports ultrasound education in low resource areas at 13 locations around the globe.

We hope to create new ideas on how to teach ultrasound, new ways to bring out ultrasound to the farthest areas and new COEs to make this come true.