Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) is a prominent medical institution located in Moshi, Tanzania. It serves as a referral and teaching hospital, offering a wide range of healthcare services. KCMC is known for its commitment to medical education, research, and providing quality healthcare to the local community. The hospital has a strong emphasis on training healthcare professionals and contributes significantly to the region’s medical advancements.
KCMC as a referral hospital is serving approximately eleven million people 11,000,000 in Northern Tanzania as per 2022 census. It is also a national training centre for various medical professionals and Clinical Pastoral Education. The hospital is a complex with 500-800 inpatients in 734 official beds and 40 baby cots and 10 Incubators. There are 1300 staff seeing about 1200 outpatients, 1000 visitors and companions daily. The hospital is home to more than 2500 students of various medical and paramedical cadres.
PARTNERSHIP
The partnership between MWIKA and KCMC started in 2018. The initial idea to provide ICT support occurred as a result of an ongoing collaboration between a Dutch hospital and KCMC.
The main goal for KCMC in 2018 was to digitize processes and the transition from traditional paper-based methods to digital systems to improve on efficiency, accessibility, and data management.
HOW WE STARTED?
The initiative started in 2018 with the realization of a reliable Network Infrastructure. After the design phase numerous switches, access points, and servers were dispatched to KCMC. Subsequently, the delivered equipment for both the LAN and Wi-Fi networks was deployed, and the systems smoothly transitioned to the new network. Additionally, a virtual server platform was introduced to host servers.
The major emphasis the first year was directed towards training and establishing a support baseline. A remote access solution was implemented to facilitate remote assistance. Classroom sessions were set up to offer a thorough understanding of managing the recently implemented network.
CHALLENGES WE HAD TO ADDRESS
Power issues – The IT environment faced frequent power outages, impacting daily operations and posing significant risks to the newly installed equipment. In 2019, this issue was tackled by introducing a UPS system for the primary datacenter.
Overutilized internet line – The limited availability of internet bandwidth emerged as a huge challenge. KCMC heavily depended on this connection to access resources from numerous services used in their day-to-day operations. To tackle the bandwidth limitations, proactive steps were taken. A security platform was put in place to ensure that only vital and pertinent information utilized the limited bandwidth, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency. By restricting the use of non-essential tools, KCMC successfully recovered substantial portions of bandwidth, redirecting it towards tasks and services crucial to the organization’s mission.
Security – Additionally, the security platform was designed to act as a robust defense against digital threats. It served as a shield, protecting KCMC’s network from malicious entities attempting to compromise data integrity and operational security. The standardization for endpoints was an additional goal aimed at enhancing security. A server platform was deployed to support central management of endpoints, along with the distribution of software updates, effectively conserving internet bandwidth. Policies are enforced on endpoints to prevent the installation and execution of undesirable applications.
Single Point of Failure – Identifying and addressing potential single points of failure is essential for maintaining system reliability and resilience. KCMC is actively enhancing its facilities to minimize such vulnerabilities. In 2022, the completion of the second datacenter has enabled the mitigation of critical risks, including ensuring internet redundancy, server availability, and reliable backup of systems.
WHERE ARE WE TODAY?
Over the past five years, we have successfully established a robust ICT infrastructure that supports KCMC’s need for digitizing processes and transitioning from conventional paper-based methods to digital systems. Numerous challenges related to availability, scalability, and security were identified and effectively resolved. At its core, we have created a reliable and secure environment. Our commitment extends to continuously enhancing the ICT infrastructure to meet future demands, coupled with initiatives to enhance ICT knowledge and foster security awareness through educational programs.