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Providing the tools and education for safe surgical instrument sterilization worldwide is a huge job that we can’t do alone. We need your help to tell others about our work – and to help us raise funds to reach even more countries.

Ways to Give

Ways to Give. Ways to Give. Cambodia. / 2019. Cambodia. / 2019. Ways to Give. Your support can help provide the essential training, equipment, and supplies needed to make safe surgery a reality! Join us in making a difference. OUR BIGGEST NEED. Become a. Monthly Partner.…

For people having surgery, the difference between sterile and unsterile surgical instruments can mean life or death. Learn why sterilization is so important, and...

Why Sterilization

Donate. Why Sterilization. For people having surgery, the difference between sterile and unsterile surgical instruments can mean. life or death. Scroll. 01. 02. 03. Achieving surgical safety can be challenging in some areas of the world.…

SPECT is committed to doing all we can to continue supporting health care workers around the globe.

News – SPECT's Response to COVID-19

SPECT's Response to COVID-19. April 9, 2020. With the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting millions of people around the world, SPECT is committed to supporting health care workers with infection prevention solutions in any way we can.…

News – SPECT Celebrates 5 Years

Incredible to look back at what we've achieved since 2013 and exciting to think about what these stats will look like in another 5 years. Thank you to everyone who has donated, raised funds, volunteered or supported our work in other ways, we're so grateful for you!…

Providing innovative solutions for the 5 billion people worldwide who lack access to safe surgery.

News – An Innovative Solution to Sterile Instrument Processing

SPECT had already built two prototypes of this basket to address a critical challenge they had observed in the field: many hospitals in low-and middle-income countries were using pressure cooker autoclaves to sterilize their surgical tools, but these autoclaves don’t have reliable drying cycles.…

Breaking down barriers to safe surgery, a common mission between Arbutus Medical and SPECT

News – Sterilization Training, Breaking Down Another Barrier to Safe Surgery

Sterilization Training, Breaking Down Another Barrier to Safe Surgery. July 19, 2019. "Break down barriers to safe surgery". That was Arbutus Medical's founding mission and continues to guide our everyday strides.…

Where can I get more information about volunteering with SPECT? ... Do I need to be a sterile processor to volunteer? ... What is the minimum commitment? ... How do I apply? ... I’m interested in having SPECT provide training at my hospital. How do I make this happen? ... Can I support the organization without travelling overseas? ...

FAQs

Send your questions to. hello@spectrust.org. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story. Downloads. Ambassadors. Impact your inbox.…

News – Achieving Good Health Together

When I first approached SPECT with my interest in volunteering in Tanzania, I never could have imagined just how much I would learn during such a short period of time and the extent to which my experiences on the ground would not only inspire me to remain involved in the organization but also make me…

Apply to be a SPECT ambassador. By joining our Ambassador program, you can build connections within a larger community of other socially minded professionals.

Ambassador Application

Back to Ambassadors. Español. Français. Ambassador Application. We are excited to launch the SPECT Ambassador program to expand knowledge of available resources to sterile processing communities around the world. How it works. Read through the following information.…

SPECT's founder, Christina Fast, speaks with Beyond Clean about SPECT's beginnings.

News – Beyond Clean Podcast: When Tools & Training Are Out Of Reach

Upon her return to Canada, Christina shared her vision of starting an organization to help decrease the risk of surgical infections in resource-constrained countries.…

Join our hands-on training for healthcare workers in infection prevention and sterile processing—covering cleaning, packaging, sterilization, and more. Perfect for both frontline staff and those who support them!

Training Program

It covers everything from cleaning and packaging to sterilizing and storage. Our course combines classroom presentations, hands-on demonstrations, and peer-to-peer learning.…

Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, is located on the western coast of Central Africa and is home to 5.3 million people. In the early 2000s there were approximately 20 physicians per 100,000 persons with 16 hospital beds per 10,000 people.

Where We Work – Republic of Congo

Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, is located on the western coast of Central Africa and is home to 5.3 million people. In the early 2000s there were approximately 20 physicians per 100,000 persons with 16 hospital beds per 10,000 people.¹.…

An island off the coast of Southeast Africa, Madagascar has a population of 25.6 million. Access to healthcare is challenging, particularly for Malagasy in the rural areas - as of 2010, 32 percent of the population lived in urban areas and there were three hospital beds per 10,000 people.¹With these challenges in mind, and funding from Grand Challenges Canada, SPECT conducted a sterile processing training program for 97 health care workers representing 40 facilities from the cities of Antsirabe and Antananarivo.

Where We Work – Madagascar

Access to healthcare is challenging, particularly for Malagasy in the rural areas - as of 2010, 32 percent of the population lived in urban areas and there were three hospital beds per 10,000 people.¹.…

Located in West Africa with an estimated population of 11.5 million, Benin had five hospital beds per 10,000 people as of 2008.¹ In an effort to increase access to safe healthcare, in 2016 the Ministry of Health invited Mercy Ships and SPECT to provide medical capacity building training in the port city of Cotonou.From October 2016 - May 2017, in partnership with Mercy Ships, SPECT provided a sterile processing training program to increase health care workers’ knowledge and skills while contributing to safer work environments. Within this timeframe, SPECT supported a needs assessment with the Ministry of Health in 29 healthcare facilities across southern Benin. SPECT then trained 92 workers from 44 facilities on recommended sterile processing practices. Following the training, 56 pressure cooker sterilizers - including SPECT's innovative instrument basket and a heating source - were distributed to facilities that didn't previously have a way of sterilizing instruments.

Where We Work – Benin

Located in West Africa with an estimated population of 11.5 million, Benin had five hospital beds per 10,000 people as of 2008.¹ In an effort to increase access to safe healthcare, in 2016 the Ministry of Health invited Mercy Ships and SPECT to provide medical capacity building training in the port city…

SPECT partners with organizations around the world, and we work together to bring sterile education and training to those who need it. See who we work with below. Interested in working with us?

SPECT Partners

See our. publications. to read about the impact of our collaborative work. Partnership Location. Uganda. Partnership Start. 2019. Type of Partnership. Maternal Health. FullSoul improves maternal health in Uganda by outfitting hospitals with medical supply kits.…

2021 highlights

News – 2021 Update

As the year comes to a close, we want to highlight some of the accomplishments and challenges SPECT has experienced this year. 10 years of SPECT!…

When I started working with SPECT as a research assistant in Tanzania, I was given the...

News – My Reflections Working with SPECT

As I was visiting the hospitals, prior to assisting with training sessions, I observed many sterile processing practices that I learnt were putting staff at risk of causing infections to patients and themselves.…

Looking for SPECT to present at your event? Complete this form to submit your request. Please permit up to four weeks for a response, and kindly note that due to our small staff size, we may not be able to accommodate your request.

Request a Speaker

Looking for SPECT to present at your event? Complete this form to submit your request. Please permit up to four weeks for a response, and kindly note that due to our small staff size, we may not be able to accommodate your request. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved.…

Our mission is to reduce the risk of surgical infection through education, consulting, and advocating for standards and access to sterile processing resources.

Our Mission

We partner with healthcare facilities to. educate, consult, and advocate. for access to sterile processing resources. Our goal is simple: to make surgery safer by ensuring that every instrument is properly cleaned and sterilized—no matter the setting.…

One of the barriers to effective sterile processing practices is a lack of resources. That's why SPECT provides access to educational materials and training tool kits. Explore and download the resources below.

Downloads

One of the barriers to implementing effective sterile processing practices is a lack of resources. SPECT addresses this gap by providing access to educational materials and training tool kits. Explore and download some of our resources below. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources.…

Sterile processing training for staff from ten hospitals in Senegal to provide education on washing and sterilization techniques and personal protective measures to ensure safe surgery and reduce the risk of surgical infection.

Where We Work – Senegal

In 2019 the Ministry of Health recognized an opportunity to build the capacity of health care workers and invited Mercy Ships and SPECT to conduct a five-day workshop on sterile processing technique with health care workers from ten different facilities.…

Join our global community striving to improve sterile processing practices in resource-contained settings.

Volunteer

Ways to Give. Our Story. Contact Us. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story. Downloads. Ambassadors. Impact your inbox.…

Cameroon has a population of 24.4 million with a life expectancy of 65.5 and 61.0 years for females and males respectively.¹ Per the Ministry of Health, access to healthcare was 2.19 health facilities per 10,000 inhabitants as of 2016.²In collaboration with Mercy Ships and the Cameroonian Ministry of Public Health, SPECT trained 20 workers from 5 healthcare facilities in Douala on the fundamentals of sterile processing. SPECT’s training addressed sterilization techniques, filling knowledge gaps for health care workers and contributing to a reduced risk of surgical site infection. Ten health care workers were invited to attend a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop to bolster their educator skills, thereby building local capacity to expand SPECT's impact.

Where We Work – Cameroon

SPECT’s training addressed sterilization techniques, filling knowledge gaps for health care workers and contributing to a reduced risk of surgical site infection.…

In 2014, SPECT embarked on an ambitious project - to design and manufacture a simple sterilizer.

News – Implementation of an Innovative Sterilization System in Healthcare Facilities with Limited Resources

Health care workers demonstrated how the equipment turned on/off. Most facilities had a piece of paper taped to the wall which outlined recommended times and temperatures, though no functioning monitors were available to confirm that these parameters were met.…

We're a small organization with big impact. SPECT was founded in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. And while we may be a small organization, we make a big impact. We would love to hear from you. Fill in the form below with your information, and please give us time to respond.

Contact Us

We do not have an office phone, however we would love to hear from you through the contact form below. Mailing Address: SPECT. 5115 Vanstone Crescent NW. Calgary, AB. T3A 0W1, CANADA. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications.…

SPECT (Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust) is a non-profit, charitable organization established to improve hospital decontamination and sterilization practices in resource-constrained countries by providing education, consulting services and advocacy related to surgical instrument reprocessing. SPECT operates as a Trust in Canada and a Corporation in the United States.

SPECT

SPECT educates health care workers on sterile processing practices to ensure every instrument placed in the hands of a surgeon is safe. Our Mission. Where We Work. Training Resources. Our Team. Frequently Asked Questions. Publications. The Problem.…

Tanzania, an East African country with a population of 57.3 million, had a 2016 life expectancy of 62 and 66 for males and females, respectively. Due to large swaths of the population living in rural areas, access to healthcare can be challenging and in 2014, $137 was spent on health per capita.

Where We Work – Tanzania

Due to large swaths of the population living in rural areas, access to healthcare can be challenging and in 2014, $137 was spent on health per capita.¹.…

In February, SPECT teamed up with Lifebox to present a three-day, “Safer Surgical Instruments (SSI)”, training-of-trainers workshop to healthcare workers from hospitals in Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala. The workshop, run concurrently with the Lifebox “Checklist Implementation Strategies”, was organised in partnership with Asociación de Médicos Anestesiólogos de El Salvador (AMAES). We aimed to communicate the fundamental concepts, standards and practices of sterile processing, and both workshops received encouraging words from Vice Minister of Health of El Salvador, Dr. Julio Robles, at the opening ceremony.

Where We Work – El Salvador

Recognizing the need for safe inpatient health services, SPECT partnered with Lifebox to present a three-day, “Safer Surgical Instruments (SSI)”, training-of-trainers workshop to health care workers from hospitals in Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala.…

Apply to be a SPECT ambassador. By joining our Ambassador program, you can build connections within a larger community of other socially minded professionals.

Ambassador Application Spanish

Back to Ambassadors. English. Français. Solicitud de Embajador(a). Un embajador(a) de SPECT es un voluntario que cree en lamisión de SPECT y quiere ayudar a crear conciencia sobre nuestro trabajo.…

Apply to be a SPECT ambassador. By joining our Ambassador program, you can build connections within a larger community of other socially minded professionals.

Ambassador Application French

Back to Ambassadors. English. Español. Candidature d'ambassadeur. Un ambassadeur de SPECT est un volontaire qui croit en la mission du SPECT et qui veut aider à faire connaître notre travail.…

As an internationally certified Sterile Processing Technician, Christina volunteers on the Africa Mercy—the world’s largest floating hospital. While docked in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Christina visited a local hospital to see the operating theatres, the decontamination and sterilization areas. The unsterile conditions were overwhelming and left her in disbelief. Additional hospital visits confirmed that the poor conditions were not that unusual. Staff who were responsible for sterilizing had no specialized training and were generally nurses who took this on this role as part of their duties. Instrument cleaning was inadequate and there was a high likelihood of cross-contamination. Upon her return to Canada, Christina approached her family and friends to share a vision of starting an organization to do something about what she had seen. The idea for SPECT was born.

Our Story

Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story. Downloads. Ambassadors. Impact your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter. © 2025 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust. All rights reserved.…

SPECT aims to create a platform for sharing of knowledge. However, we need to ensure materials are being used for their intended purposes. We screen applicants, so the more information you provide the easier our decision will be. The pre-requisite for receiving the materials is that you have already attended one of our training sessions, or you’ve had a consultation with one of our facilitators.

Material Requesst

To access the materials we require proof of certificate from participating in our training program. If you are an organization looking to partner, please email us directly at. hello@spectrust.org. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us.…

Cambodia is a country that has experienced tremendous growth in the last decade and in 2015 had eight hospital beds for every 10,000 people¹ suggesting a growing demand for inpatient services. With a focus on improving surgical outcomes through the Safe Surgery 2020 Initiative, SPECT - in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Assist International - was invited in 2018 to provide education and training to health care workers. In this collaboration SPECT worked with eight hospitals in and around Phnom Penh to offer training and mentorship in sterile processing technique. The project included completing pre-assessments, two rounds of training and mentoring (both in person and remotely) and post-assessment follow-up and data collection.

Where We Work – Cambodia

With a focus on improving surgical outcomes through the Safe Surgery 2020 Initiative, SPECT - in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Assist International - was invited in 2018 to provide education and training to health care workers.…

SPECT Ambassadors have received training on sterile processing and are actively working on educating other health care workers to reduce surgical risks from contaminated instruments. Their leadership and collaboration are deeply valued by SPECT.

Ambassadors

SPECT Ambassadors have received training on sterile processing and are actively working on educating other health care workers to reduce surgical risks from contaminated instruments. Their leadership and collaboration are deeply valued by SPECT. Interested in becoming a SPECT Ambassador?…

The population of Guinea is estimated at 12.4 million with an average life expectancy of 60.02 years old.¹ In 2011 there were three hospital beds per 10,000 people, suggesting challenges for the population to access inpatient healthcare, including surgery.

Where We Work – Guinea

The population of Guinea is estimated at 12.4 million with an average life expectancy of 60.02 years old.¹ In 2011 there were three hospital beds per 10,000 people, suggesting challenges for the population to access inpatient healthcare, including surgery.…

Seeing is believing, and has moved us to increase awareness of sterile processing challenges and strategies by conducting research and publishing findings on the impact of our training. The Impact of a Short-Term Training Program on Workers’ Sterile Processing Knowledge and Practices in 12 Ethiopian Hospitals: A Mixed Methods Study

Publications

Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story. Downloads. Ambassadors. Impact your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter. © 2025 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust. All rights reserved.…

The momentum built from the training-of-trainers workshop held in February in El Salvador led to participants sharing their learning in their hospitals in all four countries. In March, the hospital Nacional del Progreso Y Escuelade Enfermería in Guatemala held a Safer Surgical Instruments workshop for 20 operating room workers and 20 sterilization nurses.

Where We Work – Guatemala

Similar in size to neighbouring Central American countries, Guatemala continues to increase its overall health expenditure and in 2014 it was 6.2% of the GDP.¹ It is estimated that basic health and nutrition services meet only 54% of the need of the rural population.…

The momentum built from the training-of-trainers workshop held in February in El Salvador led to participants sharing their learning in their hospitals in all four countries. In March, the hospital Esteban Jeanz Cerran in Bonanza, Nicaragua held a Safer Surgical Instruments training workshop for 16 healthcare workers from the sterilization center, the OR and nurses. ‍

Where We Work – Nicaragua

Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story. Downloads. Ambassadors. Impact your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter. © 2025 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust. All rights reserved.…

The momentum built from the training-of-trainers workshop held in February in El Salvador led to participants sharing their learning in their hospitals in all four countries. In March, the hospital Mario Catarino Rivas in San Pedro Sula, Honduras held a Safer Surgical Instruments training workshop for 25 nurses and technicians, 16 OR nurses and 9 OR technicians.‍

Where We Work – Honduras

Located north of El Salvador and the initial training site, Honduras continues to support safe health initiatives with 8.7% of the total GDP expenditure on health.¹. Following the trainer-of-trainers workshop in February 2019 in.…

News – Education and Empowerment

To me, this picture expresses a perfect moment. It was the moment when this nurse realized he can clean his instruments to a higher standard, and against all odds, it is possible. So often, we forget that knowledge is power.…

News – SPECT Training in Cameroon

Throughout the ToT course, participants were given an opportunity to build on their educator skills by working in small groups to teach competencies and receive constructive feedback from their peers.…

News – IAHCSMM 2018 Educator of the Year

The Sterile Processing profession is dynamic, ever evolving and critical to patient safety and positive outcomes. Those who comprise this challenging, yet rewarding discipline and consistently go the extra mile in the name of service excellence are certainly worthy of formal recognition.…

News – Good Radio Network

Listen to Frankie Picasso from the Good Radio Network speak to Christina Fast about SPECT. Click here to listen to the interview: A STERILE Approach to Health Care in West Africa. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications.…

This week, Lifebox and Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust (SPECT) launched a...

News – Lifebox and SPECT Launch Partnership

Lifebox, the international non-profit dedicated to improving the safety of surgery and anesthesia around the world and SPECT, the Canadian-based non-profit established to improve instrument decontamination and sterilization processes in resource-constrained countries, are piloting the training course…

News – WISE’s 50 Over 50 Award

Not only are we honoured to be recognized for the work of our entire team, but we are immensely grateful for the assistance this award will provide moving forward.…

An executive summary of SS2020's impact, findings, and best practices.

News – Safe Surgery 2020 Impact Report

Access to safe and high-quality surgical care is critical to advancing global healthcare and improving the lives of millions of people around the world. Unfortunately, safe surgical care remains beyond the reach of far too many people.…

In partnership with the Rotary Club of Mukono, SPECT and FullSoul will provide sterilization...

News – Partnering with FullSoul & Rotary International

In Canada, when women labor in hospitals they have trust in the healthcare system to use sterile supplies for safe delivery. In Uganda, chronic underfunding has left many health facilities without adequate medical supplies.…

News – New Partner: Assist International

In 2017 SPECT partnered with Assist International to provide education and training in surgical instrument processing to employees from 12 hospitals in Ethiopia as part of the Safe Surgery 2020 (SS2020) Initiative funded by GE Foundation.…

A densely populated country with 105 million people, Ethiopia has approximately 2.6 physicians for every 100,000 people.¹In 2017 - 2018, in partnership with Assist International through the Safe Surgery 2020 initiative, SPECT trained 65 health care workers in the Amhara and Tigray regions. Following the initial training, 27 participants also completed a training-of-trainers workshop who went on to train over 250 additional workers on sterile processing practices.

Where We Work – Ethiopia

Following the initial training, 27 participants also completed a training-of-trainers workshop who went on to train over 250 additional workers on sterile processing practices.…

SPECT trained 30 maternal care workers in Uganda’s Mukono District, improving sterile processing in 10 facilities.

Where We Work – Uganda

In February 2021, SPECT collaborated with FullSoul Canada and Rotary International to deliver sterile processing training to 30 maternal care workers from 10 healthcare facilities in Uganda’s Mukono District.…

News – BMJ Global Health Publication

The online journal is dedicated to publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed content relevant to those involved in global health initiatives.…

News – My Volunteer Experience

It brought me great joy to witness sustainable change while seeing such positive engagement and collaboration between the SPECT team and the participants.…

Meet the SPECT founder, team and board members. In 2011 Christina founded SPECT with the help of a small group of volunteers. Christina is a sterile processing educator and mentor who has worked in infection prevention and control since 2006. Christina wears many hats as SPECT’s Executive Director, including curriculum developer, course coordinator, educator and visionary.

Our Team

We would like to acknowledge all past and current volunteers for their contributions to SPECT’s work. Without your efforts we would not be where we are today! See What We Do. Request a Speaker. Frequently Asked Questions. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team.…

News – Global News: Mission Madagascar

Click here. to watch Mission Madagascar: Calgary woman brings infection prevention to Madagascar hospitals, and. read more. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story.…

COVID-19

Given the abundance of information available, we’ve compiled a list of key resources to help our global sterile processing communities. Subject. Title. Source. Disclaimer: The mention of companies and manufacturers’ products in the publications listed does not imply that they are endorsed by SPECT.…

News – Top 40 Under 40

Click here to read about the Top 40 Under 40 award. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story. Downloads. Ambassadors. Impact your inbox.…

On February 7th two of our SPECT team members met with Safe Surgery team members at Calmette...

News – Exciting News from Cambodia

As you can see from the photo, participating members of the Cambodian hospital leadership welcomed us with open arms and are just as excited to get started as we are! From left to right, Professor Lem Dara - team lead for SS2020 at Calmette; Dr.…

Mixed methods evaluation of the impact of a short term training program in Benin.

News – Ethiopia Research Published

Click here to read more. Get Involved. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Recent News. Contact Us. Publications. Contact Us. Ways to Give. FAQs. Newsletter. Our Story. Downloads. Ambassadors. Impact your inbox.…

News – 2017 SPECT Newsletter

Our founder, Christina Fast, was honoured to be selected as part of. Avenue. magazine's Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2017. Read More Here. First Publication.…

Sierra Leone is located in West Africa with an estimated population of 7.56 million as of 2017. Maternal mortality is highest in the world with 1,360 mothers dying per 100,000 live births,² and the small country has faced a history of challenges in delivering safe and accessible healthcare with 38% of the population living in urban areas.

Where We Work – Sierre Leone

In 2011, while volunteering with Mercy Ships, SPECT’s founder engaged with health care workers from the West African nation and recognized a need for additional support in sterile processing technique, thus creating SPECT and beginning to develop its mission. ¹ WDI - Home. (2020).…

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