SOUTH AFRICA – General Electric (GE), leading provider of Healthcare technologies, has announced a five-year, US$2.5 million investment in Johannesburg to launch ‘Next Engineers’, a global initiative focused on increasing the diversity of young people in engineering.
GE has selected Johannesburg as one of four inaugural locations, aiming to inspire more than 3,500 local students aged 13 to 18 in grade eight to twelve, provide first-hand experiences in engineering, and award financial support to pursue further education in engineering.
GE is partnering with PROTEC, South Africa’s leading non-profit organization that empowers local students to pursue and grow in STEM-based careers, to implement Next Engineers locally.
Earlier this year, GE committed up to US$100 million to launch Next Engineers. Over the next decade, the goal is to reach more than 85,000 students across 25 locations globally.
GE has been operating in the African market for more than 123 years, with Johannesburg being the first overseas office outside the USA. GE rises to the challenge of building a world that works through its expertise and innovation in healthcare, aviation and power, contributing to key sectors of South Africa’s economy.
In other news, GE Healthcare recently partnered IT consultancy firm CGI, in its efforts to support rapid digitization in healthcare, a collaboration that will help healthcare providers accelerate their digitization projects.
The partnership will take a ‘whole system’ approach and connect communities with health and care services as well as integrate sustainable practices for the future. It will also support a shift to community-based practices so people can be cared for at home.
The work undertaken by the two companies will help cities and towns in the UK to become smarter and more connected with health and care systems, they said in a statement. The integration will improve the experience for both patients and clinicians, with enhanced quality of care and better working practices at the core of the partnership’s aims.
GE Healthcare’s world-leading integrated technology and digital capabilities will be used to contribute solutions, data and AI expertise. CGI will deliver consulting services, act as a systems integrator and provide infrastructure and support.
“Our goal is to create a more connected experience, so health and care professionals can dedicate more of their time to their patients, as well as improving health outcomes and quality of life for citizens. Our technology and solutions will be discreet and vital in support of better care,” David Labajo, VP of healthcare digital at GE Healthcare, said.
The companies are working together with a joint aim of setting up a world-leading Digital Operations Co-ordination Centre capability. Using data, AI, machine learning and predictive analytics, the center will enable remote patient monitoring, asset management and increased capacity for the workforce.
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