A team of eight biomedical engineering students from the University of Canterbury is heading to Tonga this month to train local staff on maintaining essential medical equipment.
Led by senior lecturer Debbie Munro, the initiative aims to address Tonga’s urgent need for technical expertise in equipment upkeep. Munro, who previously visited Tonga in 2019, emphasized the importance of sustainable support over short-term fixes.
“There’s a lot of programs out there where teams come in, repair equipment or outfit a ward, and then leave,” Munro said. “The only thing that remains is a plaque on the wall.”
Tonga receives medical equipment donations from various countries, often without technical support or manuals. “What you have is a potential resource, but who’s going to unload the shipping container, stage it, and repair it?” Munro explained.
The project aims to create a workforce of year-round biomedical technicians in Tonga to ensure long-term maintenance and repair capabilities.
For the students, the trip offers a transformative learning experience. Reflecting on her 2019 team, Munro noted how it shifted their design perspective. “They now think: is it fixable? Could someone repair this in a circular economy situation?”
The program highlights the dual impact of addressing community needs while shaping future engineers.