Smile Train Launches Pan-African Training in Paediatric Anaesthesia

Rebecca Ejifoma

To bridge the gap for millions of African children lacking access to safe surgery and anaesthesia care, the world’s largest cleft organisation, Smile Train, has launched the Paediatric Anaesthesia Training in Africa (PATA) programme.

This launch is in partnership with The ELMA Foundation and Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, as noted in a media statement.

The PATA Programme will be implemented at three African institutions, namely the University of Zambia, National Hospital, Abuja in Nigeria and Makerere University, Kampala in Uganda.

The training programme has been endorsed by the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA).

It seeks to increase access to safe surgery and anaesthesia care through intensive, year-long fellowships in Paediatric anaesthesia.

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the programme will also enable the development of a Paediatric anaesthesia policy.

Smile Train Vice-President and Regional Director for Africa, Mrs Nkeiruka Obi, acknowledged PATA’s intention to meet the urgent need to strengthen Paediatric surgical systems in the region and ensure the safety and quality of Paediatric anaesthesia.

“Children in need of surgical treatment, such as those born with clefts or those who are injured, need timely surgery to live a productive life – but access to surgery means nothing if that surgery isn’t safe and high-quality,” says Obi.

She also lamented the huge gap in skilled surgical and anaesthesia providers in many African countries, compromising the quality of surgical services.

The VP emphasised: “As part of achieving Universal Health Coverage, PATA seeks to upskill more anaesthesia providers in the local community by strengthening the Human Resources for Health.”

While endorsing the programme, Zambia Ministry of Health Director of Clinical Care Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi expressed confidence that the collaboration would strengthen Paediatric anaesthesia care in the region.

This programme, he noted, aligns with the government’s endeavour to implement a National Paediatric Surgical and Anaesthesia Plan.

And it is part of Zambia’s commitment to advancing Universal Health Coverage. FC

Research by the Lancet Commission shows that approximately 143 million surgical procedures are needed yearly worldwide, which shows a significant burden facing the Paediatric population.

In addition, approximately 85 per cent of children may require surgery before their 15th birthday.

In Kenya, a recent study titled Paediatric Perioperative Mortality in Kenya revealed that the mortality rate of Paediatric procedures is 100 times higher than in high-income countries.

In her remarks, Melissa Morrison, Director of Health Programs at ELMA Philanthropies, noted, “We are proud to partner with Smile Train in launching the PATA programme.

“A well-trained workforce is essential to ensuring that children across Africa have access to safe surgery and anaesthesia care”.

Morrison added that the inequities in surgical access and poor outcomes for children in Africa compared to high-income countries are unacceptable, and the PATA graduates represent hope and a future for thousands of children.

Other institutions collaborating on the PATA programme implementation include African Mission Healthcare-Kenya, Boston Children’s Hospital, Kids Operating Room, and the University of Nairobi.

Global Institute of Children’s Surgery, African Paediatric Fellowship in Africa, University of Cape Town, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, and Association of Anesthesiologists of Uganda (AAU).