HEART Consultancy
HEART Consultancy provides expertise in strengthening health services in low-income countries. It specialises in the field of planning and management of physical assets and the sterilisation of medical supplies. It is an independent firm and has no direct relationship to any manufacturer or supplier of equipment.
HEART was founded by Pieter de Ruijter and Jan Huijs in 1995. Based in the Netherlands, HEART has worked in 18 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. As well as ministries of health, HEART has worked with bilateral and multilateral organisations, including the UK Department of International Development, the African Development Bank, the European Union, KfW Banking Group, GTZ and the Nordic Development Fund.
HEART offers technical services related to:
- creating and implementing medical equipment policy
- developing equipment standards
- equipment surveys
- preparation and evaluation of tenders
- developing resource information systems
- general software development
- planning, implementing and monitoring processes for equipment maintenance and repair
- technical assistance and training in sterilisation of medical supplies.
HEART Consultancy has also developed a computerised management and planning software tool, PLAMAHS - Planning and Management of Assets in Health Services.