As a part of my non-credit industrial attachment, I attended a training spanning 14 workdays in May 2023. My attachment was with the National Electro-Medical Equipment Maintenance Workshop and Training Centre (NEMEMW & TC), an organization under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in Bangladesh. This experience introduced me to the crucial yet often overlooked sector of medical equipment maintenance in government hospitals across the country.

The training program started with a short course on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the National Medical Gas System, a vital component of hospital infrastructure, especially in critical times like the COVID-19 pandemic. I witnessed firsthand how the lack of proper training and SOP adherence could lead to fatal consequences, from the fire incidents at United Hospital’s ICU to oxygen shortages in general wards due to improper usage of medical gas systems. These lessons taught me the significance of meticulous equipment handling, safety checks, and the potential consequences of negligence.

In addition to training on SOPs, I was introduced to various medical devices, including ECG acquisition systems, patient monitors, X-ray machines, and more advanced imaging equipment like CT and MRI machines. My field visits to Mitford Hospital and the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH) offered a real-world perspective on how these devices are used in everyday healthcare settings, how patient data is collected and stored, and the importance of proper maintenance.

One of the key takeaways from this experience was recognizing the immense need for a dedicated biomedical engineering team in each hospital, which is still rare in Bangladesh. Proper maintenance and regular checks of medical equipment are essential for ensuring accurate diagnoses and prolonging the devices' lifespan. Despite its fast-growing healthcare sector, Bangladesh still lacks sufficient infrastructure to maintain these devices effectively, often leading to under-utilization or misuse of expensive medical technology.

I also observed alarming levels of medical waste accumulation. For instance, at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), I saw rooms filled with medical equipment that were no longer functioning, including high-value machines like Linear Accelerators (LINACs). This growing issue of medical waste management reinforced the need for structured disposal protocols and resource allocation strategies, areas that I believe could benefit from more research and innovative solutions.

This industrial attachment has deepened my understanding of how crucial well-maintained medical equipment is for delivering effective healthcare, particularly in resource-constrained settings like Bangladesh. The knowledge I’ve gained will undoubtedly shape my future research endeavors, particularly in developing AI-driven healthcare technologies that can assist in predictive maintenance and enhance diagnostic accuracy. It has also reinforced my mission to contribute to scalable, cost-effective solutions that improve patient care, especially in underserved populations.

This experience has sparked my interest in exploring the intersection of biomedical engineering and AI to create systems that not only diagnose but also maintain themselves, ensuring the longevity and efficacy of medical devices in developing nations.