Mission:

The WFUMB Centers of Education (COE´s) shall provide education in medical ultrasound in countries where there is a need. They should grant recognition to participants after completion of courses, accumulate ultrasound related reference materials and serve as reference centers for the region, in which they are situated.

WFUMB Center of Education (COE) is the name for an institution, which offers education in ultrasound for doctors and medical personnel, regularly (at least once a year). It has to be recommended by the ultrasound society of its country or region and recognized by WFUMB. A dedicated and responsible person is appointed as Director and is in charge of the COE.

History:

Centers of Excellence (COE`s) commenced in the late nineteen nineties and were originally a project of WHO. Harald Østensen, a former medical officer of WHO, had the idea to establish centers for education in basic radiology for developing countries, with the aim of one center in each continent of the world.

The Global Steering Group for Education and Training in Diagnostic Imaging was founded by Østensen and chaired by WHO to improve the co-operation between like-minded organisations working on similar projects. Former WFUMB president, Barry Goldberg initiated the closer co-operation between WHO and WFUMB.

H. Østensen stressed his special interest for the promotion of ultrasound in developing countries and after discussions with Harald Lutz, it was agreed and decided that the centers for ultrasound should be founded separately from the centers for basic radiology and under the responsibility of WFUMB.

WFUMB founds the COE`s in cooperation with its regional member-organization and based on a formal contract with the national societies for ultrasound.

Centers of Education:

  • Bangladesh Society of Ultrasonography (BSU), Bangladesh, established in 2004, Independent February 2009
  • Uganda Association of Sonography (UGASON), Uganda, established in 2004, Independent June 2009
  • Sociedad Venezolana de Ultrasonido en Medicina (AVUM), Venezuela, established in 2005, Independent February 2010
  • Romanian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, Romania, established in 2007, Independent June 2012
  • Indonesian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine, Indonesia, established in 2011, Independent February 2016
  • Kenya Society of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (KESUMB), Kenya, established in 2013, Independent July 2009
  • Mongolian Society of Diagnostic Ultrasound (MSDU), Mongolia, established in 2013, Independent July 2016
  • Societe Togolaise D’Ultrasonographie Medicale, Togo, established in 2013, Independent February 2018
  • Ethiopian Ultrasound Society, Ethiopia, established in 2014, Independent 2019
  • Sociedad Paraguaya de Ecografia, Paraguay, established in 2015, Independent 2020
  • Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology of the Republic of Moldova, established in 2017, Independent Feb 2022
  • Sudanese Society of Gastroenterology, Sudan, established in 2017, Independent 2022
  • Vietnamese Society for Ultrasound, Vietnam, established in January 2019, Independent January 2024
  • Albanian Ultrasound Association, COE Tirana, Albania established in May 2019, Independent May 2024
  • Fiji COE established in September 2019, Independent September 2024
  • Philippines COE established in September 2019, Independent September 2024
  • AIUM COE established in October 2020, Independent October 2025
  • Chinese Medical Association/Chinese Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (CMA/CSUM) – COE Beijing, China established in November 2023, Independent November 2028

Future Plans of WFUMB COE’s:

WFUMB has it as its main purpose to bring sustainable ultra sound to all regions of our world.

According to WHO approximately 2/3 of the worlds population has no access to medical imaging of any kind.

Through our Centers of Education WFUMB supports ultrasound education in low resource areas at 13 locations around the globe.

We hope to create new ideas on how to teach ultrasound, new ways to bring out ultrasound to the farthest areas and new COEs to make this come true.