Global pediatric anesthesia-Anglophone West Africa perspective

This article gives the pediatric anesthesia perspective from Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Gambia, five out of six countries in Anglophone West Africa. Over 40% of the population of most of these countries are younger than 14 years and there is an increasing need for paediatric anesthesia services.FINDINGS: Workforce density ranges from 0.08 to 0.58 physician anesthesia providers per 100,000 population. There are only 13 trained pediatric anesthetists; ratios range from 0 to 0.4 per 100,000 children, thus pediatric anesthesia services are provided by various cadres of physician and non-physician anesthesia providers. Physician anesthesia training is mostly carried out by the West African College of Surgeons as well as national postgraduate colleges. Pediatric anesthesia services are provided in tertiary (teaching), secondary (general), district, faith-based, military, private hospitals and through surgical missions. Challenges include lack of trained personnel, high morbidity from late presentation to health facilities and financial constraints, lack of health insurance for pediatric anesthesia services, unavailability of appropriate equipment and consumables, a narrow range of medications, very few pediatric-specific operating theaters, and inadequate critical care services.SOLUTIONS: The lack of opportunities for sub-specialty training in pediatric anesthesia in West Africa is currently being addressed in Nigeria and Ghana. Non-governmental agencies fund programs a...

Source: Pain Physician - February 7, 2024 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Ibironke Desalu Pokua Sarpong Maryrose O Osazuwa Raymond Ndikontar Kwinji Aramide Folayemi Faponle Musa Kallamu Suleiman Junette Metogo Mbengono Epse Njoki Iniabasi Ilori Olayinka R Eyelade Anastasia Abena Ohene Audrey Anno William Addison Source Type: research