Teaching and reinforcement (ultrasound) of regional anaesthesia in West Africa
Seance of wednesday 02 april 2025 (Chirurgie Humanitaire et solidaire)
DOI number : 10.26299/fmvy-h517/2025.13.02
Abstract
This document details a training program in locoregional anesthesia (LRA) implemented in West Africa. The program aims to improve the quality, access, and safety of anesthesia during common surgical procedures. It targets a region with severely limited access to anesthesia care, characterized by a low doctor-to-patient ratio and a high mortality rate associated with surgical interventions.
The training focuses on teaching LRA techniques using ultrasound, a less expensive and safer alternative to general anesthesia. This approach aims to reduce costs, hospital stay length, and the consumption of medications such as morphine. The program emphasizes training-the-trainer models (a cascade approach), equipping hospitals with ultrasound machines, using new technologies (a smartphone app for monitoring progress), and publishing scientific findings.
The program is implemented in collaboration with NGOs, local anesthesia societies, and physician facilitators from various African countries. It has already trained approximately 200 practitioners in around ten countries and has resulted in several scientific publications. The document highlights the importance of adapting training to local contexts and including non-physician personnel, such as nurse anesthetists, in the training. Finally, the evaluation is based on data collected through a mobile application, tracking the participants' progress.
The training focuses on teaching LRA techniques using ultrasound, a less expensive and safer alternative to general anesthesia. This approach aims to reduce costs, hospital stay length, and the consumption of medications such as morphine. The program emphasizes training-the-trainer models (a cascade approach), equipping hospitals with ultrasound machines, using new technologies (a smartphone app for monitoring progress), and publishing scientific findings.
The program is implemented in collaboration with NGOs, local anesthesia societies, and physician facilitators from various African countries. It has already trained approximately 200 practitioners in around ten countries and has resulted in several scientific publications. The document highlights the importance of adapting training to local contexts and including non-physician personnel, such as nurse anesthetists, in the training. Finally, the evaluation is based on data collected through a mobile application, tracking the participants' progress.