The collage shows various learning situations.

Access to care

Partnering to upskill the healthcare workforce

A global shortage of healthcare workers is leaving billions without access to care. Growing populations, rising life expectancy, and the increasing burden of both communicable and noncommunicable diseases are stretching health systems worldwide. Partnerships and training programs are closing the gap and building resilient health systems from Indonesia to Ukraine.

5min

Shelley Pascual

Published on January 30, 2026

People in emerging markets – as well as those in rural or underserved areas in developed nations – often struggle to obtain even basic services. This can be due to barriers such as distance, inadequate infrastructure, or financial constraints. The global shortage of skilled healthcare workers is contributing further to this challenge.

How can capacity building help to elevate health outcomes? What role do onsite training centers play in times of online learning? What does effective upskilling look like in practice?

11 million health workers are projected to be misssing by 2030.

Combining forces for greater impact

“Transforming healthcare ecosystems requires long-term partners, not one-time transactions,” says Hagen Weissapfel, Head of Capacity Building for Emerging Markets at Siemens Healthineers. “We invest in elevating health over decades – building clinical capabilities, expanding access, and ensuring customer success. Through trusted collaboration, we grow with healthcare systems to improve outcomes in each country's unique context.”

Anatomical image of a human heart on a computer screen.

Classrom training in radiology

Classroom training in MRI

MRI image on a computer screen

Anatomical image of a human heart on a computer screen.

Expanding on a 30-year partnership with the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), we are introducing high-quality training for radiologic technologists and radiographers to underserved countries worldwide. Training these professionals to operate imaging and radiation therapy equipment is vital for diagnosing and treating serious conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

“Trust and relationships are key for the success of any partnership,” says Melissa Culp, Executive Vice President of Member Engagement at ASRT, highlighting that we are co-creating content tailored to country-specific needs. “Our first project site is in Ukraine.”

With local know-how from Siemens Healthineers and ASRT’s educational expertise, we developed a curriculum to train 120 Ukrainian radiographers through in-person and online sessions. Partnering with the German Agency for International Cooperation and Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, the program equips frontline professionals whose skills ensure patient access to essential diagnostic care. By standardizing curricula aligned with modern medical equipment and imaging processes nationwide, the initiative strengthens Ukraine’s healthcare system and long-term resilience.

It is part of the project “Building Capacities of Radiographers in Ukraine” which is jointly implemented by Siemens Healthineers and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH within the framework of the develoPPP programme, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Training centers as essential hubs

“Physical training centers bring people together as essential hubs where learners build relationships, exchange ideas, and create meaningful connections in hybrid learning,” says Weissapfel.

Our Egypt academy demonstrates this impact: since 2018, over 3,000 healthcare professionals from 20 countries have built capabilities that elevated their local health ecosystems. “By blending onsite immersive training with digital follow-up, we create scalable expertise networks that make customers clinically and operationally successful,” Weissapfel explains.

From Poland to the Philippines, our global training centers are helping build a skilled healthcare workforce. In Jakarta, Indonesia, the newly inaugurated Cardiac Care Training Center (CCTC) features 11 advanced digital imaging workstations and direct access to various imaging systems within the clinical setting of the Harapan Kita National Heart Center. The center is expected to train over 9,500 healthcare professionals annually and connect with more than 560 referral hospitals across Indonesia’s archipelago – strengthening local expertise and supporting scalable, high-impact training.

Upskilling to transform patient care

For another example of upskilling, Weissapfel points to our partnership with the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) to create free online courses on its SURGhub platform. These modules, which now form part of SURGhub’s growing catalogue of over 100 courses, build the skills and confidence needed for safe, effective C-arm use – a capability that is critical in low-resource settings.

“SURGhub has truly been a game-changer. It’s now providing access to high quality surgical training to over 30,000 users globally,” says Geoff Ibbotson, surgeon and Executive Director of GSF, reflecting on feedback from users in low-resource settings. He explains that the courses are designed for challenging infrastructure conditions, so even a technologist with unreliable electricity and slow internet can complete the radiology safety training module. Weissapfel adds: “This can make all the difference, giving them the confidence and skills to finally use the equipment for patients in need.”

"After partnering with the Academy, we noticed a major advancement in image quality," says Dr. Heba Eweda of the Egypt Health Authority.

"Our overall goal is to create access to surgical care where it's non-existent." says Geoff Ibbotson, Director of the Global Surgery Foundation.

"Education is really one of the most sustainable ways to make change within global health," says Melissa Culp of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists.

"We are equipping professionals with the skills needed to deliver exceptional patient care," says Amro Kandil of Siemens Healthineers in Egypt.

"After partnering with the Academy, we noticed a major advancement in image quality," says Dr. Heba Eweda of the Egypt Health Authority.

Closing the healthcare workforce gap requires collaboration, innovation, and commitment. By combining global expertise with local knowledge, we’re creating sustainable training solutions that empower professionals and strengthen health systems worldwide – so every patient, everywhere, can access the care they deserve.

Portrait photo of editor Shelley Pascual

Portrait photo of editor Shelley Pascual

By Shelley Pascual

Shelley is a former journalist and now Siemens Healthineers editor specializing in healthcare access.

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