Supporting Physician Development in Emerging Countries

Olympus endoscopes are used for diagnosis and treatment all over the world, contributing to making people’s lives healthier, safer everywhere.

In particular, in emerging countries in Asia and Africa, factors such as the westernization of eating habits attributable to rapid economic growth in recent years have led to an increase in diseases (non- communicable diseases) such as cancer, for which countermeasures are urgently needed.

Olympus believes it can contribute to improvements in local healthcare standards by disseminating Japan’s superior medical technology and services in emerging countries. Together with Japan’s government organizations and relevant academic societies, Olympus is working on international cooperation initiatives, such as supporting the development of physicians, through collaborative efforts involving industry, government, and academia. To date, we have implemented activities in many countries, including Vietnam and Kenya.

In Vietnam, a country that has enjoyed tremendous economic growth, the number of cancer patients is increasing year on year. While the demand for endoscopy, which are essential for early diagnosis and treatment of stomach cancer and colorectal cancer are set to increase, a shortfall in the physicians and medical personnel that possess the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out this endoscopy has become a serious challenge. That is why Olympus, based on collaborative efforts involving industry, government, and academia, has on multiple occasions implemented training projects for local physicians led by Japanese physicians. This training has included intensive initiatives such as holding classroom-based lectures and practical training in manual techniques in several Vietnamese cities and in Japan, in addition to online lectures. Furthermore, while also training physicians, Olympus has drawn on the knowledge of Japanese academic societies and medical professionals to assist in the creation of diagnosis guidelines in line with the state of healthcare in Vietnam and conducted a demonstration project on the utility of using an endoscopic diagnosis support system* equipped with the latest AI technology.

Similarly in Kenya, Olympus is engaged in a training project for local physicians through collaborative efforts involving industry, government, and academia. During the training in Kenya, which was hosted in cooperation with Japanese medical institution, Japanese physicians provided meticulous instruction for local physicians, which covered everything from basic operations to advanced diagnostic techniques, utilizing actual endoscopy equipment. Kenyan physicians were also invited to Japan and provided with an intensive training environment over a period of approximately one month. In addition, we worked to support the development of physicians using several means, including teleconferencing in an online format.

Olympus believes that these efforts can contribute to resolving issues and advancing healthcare in countermeasures against cancer in emerging countries of Asia and Africa in the years to come. We will continue to actively contribute to the health, peace of mind, and emotional fulfillment of people everywhere, including those in emerging countries.

* An endoscopic image diagnosis support software that assists physicians in making a diagnosis by using AI to help determine whether there are any lesions in the images of an endoscopy.