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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

Training Program. Program Overview. Course Material. Sterile Processing. Training Program. SPECT's training program is designed for healthcare workers who play a key role in infection prevention and sterile processing. It covers everything from cleaning and packaging to sterilizing and storage.…

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

With 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.…

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

News – Ethiopia Research Published

Mixed methods evaluation of the impact of a short term training program on sterile processing knowledge, practice, and attitude in three hospitals in Benin. Click here. to read more. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Our Story. Contact Us. Publications. Ways to Give. FAQs.…

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

Request training material. Thank you for your interest in SPECT’s training material. 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 to know us.…

2021 highlights

News – 2021 Update

Due to travel restrictions, coordinating project logistics has been challenging and led us to limit in-country programs. However, we still managed to safely hold a month-long training program in Uganda this past February.…

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

In 2018 - 2019, with support from Assist International and funding from the GE Foundation, SPECT provided a training program for 74 health care workers responsible for sterile processing practices in 38 facilities in the Kagera and Mara regions of northwestern Tanzania.…

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

Recent Programs. 2020. Dakar, Senegal. From November 2019 to January 2020, SPECT partnered with Mercy Ships to provide sterile processing training and mentorship to 46 workers from six healthcare facilities in Dakar.…

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…

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

There are countries where resources are limited, funding is insufficient, and comprehensive training may not exist for each health care worker involved in surgery. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. • • •.…

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

News – My Reflections Working with SPECT

Over the course of the summer, my primary duties were to help with translating between English and Swahili and assist SPECT facilitators with training activities for both the Fundamentals of Sterile Processing course and the Training of Trainers course.…

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

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

In subsequent years Fast discovered that not one of the 59 facilities SPECT has partnered with in low-income countries was able to adhere to the most basic WHO standards for sterile processing prior to receiving SPECT training. A holistic approach to training.…

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

Publications. Publications. Publications. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Our Story. Contact Us. Publications. Ways to Give. FAQs. Downloads. © 2026 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust. All rights reserved. Charitable Registration #85046 7978 RR0001 …

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

one or more of the following criteria: availability of electricity; current availability of functioning sterilization equipment; the number of daily procedures performed (busier facilities were given a higher priority) and staff receptivity to trial the sterilization system as well as attend SPECT's training…

Training Support

Training Support. Training Support. Training Support. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Our Story. Contact Us. Publications. Ways to Give. FAQs. Downloads. © 2026 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust. All rights reserved. Charitable Registration #85046 7978 RR0001…

News – SPECT Training in Cameroon

SPECT Training in Cameroon. March 3, 2018. In October 2017, Mercy Ships & SPECT provided a Sterile Processing course for 20 healthcare workers from 5 hospitals in Douala.…

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

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

Beyond Clean Podcast: When Tools & Training Are Out Of Reach. February 17, 2020. New Podcast Episode: https://zcu.io/CqXq. In 2011, Christina Fast volunteered on the Africa Mercy—the world’s largest floating hospital.…

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

News – Partnering with FullSoul & Rotary International

To reduce post-delivery complications and deaths, FullSoul. and Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust (SPECT) are partnering to provide medical kits with reusable surgical instruments and training on proper sterile processing techniques to midwives and nurses.…

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

Throughout 2013 - 2014, in collaboration with Mercy Ships, SPECT initiated the first known sterile processing program in the coastal city of Pointe Noire.…

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

News – Lifebox and SPECT Launch Partnership

This week, Lifebox and Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust (SPECT) launched a partnership to improve surgical safety in low-resource countries through training in appropriate cleaning and maintenance of surgical instruments.…

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

Addressing the needs of the world's most vulnerable people, Assist International designs and implements humanitarian programs that build capacity, develops opportunities, and saves lives around the world. SPECT and Assist International partnered together under the.…

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

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. Complete and submit the Ambassador Application below. Role description.…

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

En rejoignant notre programme Ambassadeur, vous pouvez créer des liens au sein d'une vaste communauté avec d'autres professionnels à vocation sociale. Comment ça marche. Lire les informations suivantes. Remplir le formulaire de candidature pour devenir ambassadeur. Description du rôle.…

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

Alunirse a nuestro programa de Embajador(a), puede establecer conexiones dentrode una comunidad major con otros profesionales de la área. Cómo funciona. Lea la siguiente información. Complete la solicitud de Embajador(a). Descripción del oficio.…

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

News – SPECT's Response to COVID-19

While the current viral outbreak has resulted in a temporary suspension of our international programs, we have shifted our focus to developing online learning tools.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

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

Located east of El Salvador and the initial training site, healthcare workers from Nicaragua returned home following the workshop held in February in.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

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

Browse and download the resources below for use in training, education, and quality improvement initiatives. These resources are intended for educational purposes and should be adapted to local policies, procedures, and manufacturer instructions for use. 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

“We thank you a lot for the training which allows us to know lot of things that we will put into practice and also correct mistakes that we made, thinking we were doing the right thing.” Head of Hygiene Division, Hôpital General Idrissa Pouye.…

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

At the invitation of the Ministry of Health, SPECT partnered with Mercy Ships from August 2018 - February 2019 to conduct training in sterile processing technique for 22 health care workers from four facilities on board the. Africa Mercy.…

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

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. Your ongoing support helps us plan ahead and make a lasting impact.…

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

Training Resources. Our Team. Frequently Asked Questions. Publications. The Problem.…

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.…

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

In March 2019, the hospital Nacional del Progreso Y Escuelade Enfermería in Guatemala held a “Safer Surgical Instruments” training for 20 sterilization room technicians and 20 operating room nurses. ¹ WHO by country: Guatemala (2014). Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/countries/gtm/en/.…

News – Education and Empowerment

This week, I assisted SPECT with delivering Sterile Processing Fundamentals Training in Bukoba. Thirty-eight nurses from across the Kagera region of Tanzania attended the five-day training course that was grounded in theory, supplemented with demonstrations and in-class activities.…

News – Achieving Good Health Together

During SPECT’s Training of Trainers (ToT) course and regional hospital tours in the Mara Region I realized that SPECT is very much aligned with the SDG’s and fighting tooth and nail on a daily basis for goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being.…

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

News – Exciting News from Cambodia

Olive Fast - Chair of SPECT; Dan Fast - SPECT Program Coordinator; Kith Rathamony - Assist International Country Director. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Our Story. Contact Us. Publications. Ways to Give. FAQs.…

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

FAQs. FAQs. Frequently Asked Questions. Can't find what you're looking for? Send your questions to. hello@spectrust.org. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Our Story. Contact Us. Publications. Ways to Give. FAQs. Downloads. © 2026 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trus…

News – IAHCSMM 2018 Educator of the Year

The IAHCSMM Awards Program pays tribute to professionals who are committed to delivering safe, high quality service to healthcare customers and to doing what's right in the name of quality and patient safety.…

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

Where We Work. Our Mission. Get to know us. Connect. Resources. Get involved. The Team. Our Story. Contact Us. Publications. Ways to Give. FAQs. Downloads. © 2026 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust. All rights reserved. Charitable Registration #85046 7978 RR0001 …

Resources
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SPECT
© 2026 Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust. All rights reserved.
Charitable Registration #85046 7978 RR0001