CNIS is currently digitizing the 4th of its programs using the previous methodology of placing the courses on a

Learning Management System and then on a mobile phone app. This project is being supported by the Initiative Foundation based in Silicon Valley in the United States. After digitization, we will conduct a randomized controlled TBSi trial using the CNIS hybrid teaching model and the SELF-model of instruction. This trial will be conducted in 10 regional centers in Ethiopia.

Dr. Laeke is the neurosurgical lead on this project. Just recently the Bondi foundation has agreed to fund implementation of TBSI in Tanzania.

CNIS pioneered the Essential Surgical Skills (ESS) Course in Ethiopia, launching its first skills lab in Addis Ababa and later expanding to Gondor, Jimma, Awassa, and Mekelle. Thousands of professionals have benefited, with ongoing courses sustaining surgical capacity. In 2024, Addis hosted the Bethune Round Table with Injury Prevention Initiatives for Africa. For the past decade, CNIS has prioritized Traumatic Brain and Spine Injury (TBSI) through the leadership of Dr. Tsega. In 2025, CNIS piloted a digital TBSI course at Black Lion Hospital with sawbones and biological models, self paced digital lectures, and case studies. The program earned Ministry of Health accreditation, paving the way for a nationwide digital rollout. This combination of digital innovation, simulation, and formal accreditation demonstrates CNIS’s lasting contribution to Ethiopia’s surgical training landscape, ensuring both essential and advanced neurotrauma skills remain accessible to a growing cohort of health professionals across the country.