The advisory is carried out in cooperation with Caritas Vorarlberg.
Supporting the management of the technical team with optimisation, documentation, training, maintenance, coordination, planning, and budgeting related to technical and medical systems and equipment.
Alexander Kuhn is a recent graduate with a Master’s degree in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering from Montanuniversität Leoben. At the age of 17, he spent a year in Accra, Ghana, an experience which inspired his desire to contribute to development work in Africa. He now intends to utilise his technical expertise and practical experience to support maintenance and development projects.
This advisory deployment strengthens the technical equipment and maintenance function of the Mother, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Speciality Centre in Bushulo, Ethiopia. The assignment addresses limited on-site technical expertise by building reliable maintenance systems that protect service continuity and patient safety.The Advisor optimises the maintenance plan for technical and medical equipment and updates technical documentation, including an information platform that consolidates device and component records. The deployment trains local personnel in preventive maintenance and repair, supports troubleshooting and optimisation of existing systems, and updates the annual spare-parts list to align needs with procurement planning. Coordination with external service technicians, including for specialised systems such as medical gas, ensures issues are resolved efficiently and responsibilities are clear.In parallel, the Advisor supports planning for new technical systems and advises the management team on annual budget preparation so maintenance, replacements and upgrades are financially planned and operationally feasible. It links maintenance priorities to procurement and inventory decisions to reduce downtime and extend equipment lifecycles. By combining hands-on capacity building with stronger documentation and budgeting routines, the deployment strengthens local ownership of critical equipment management and safeguards the quality and reliability of MNCH services.
Founded in 2010, the Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission Coordinating Office of Hosanna has implemented various social and development projects for disadvantaged population groups in the Kembata Tembaro and Hadiya zones.
