Emily Vaughan1, Frances Sesay2, Adaora Chima3, Mira Mehes4, Benjamin Lee3, Dzifa Dordunoo5, Alice Sitch6, Gilles de Wildt1, Thaim B Kamara7, Bailah Leigh2, Fizan Abdullah4, John Sampson3. 1. Department of Population Sciences and Humanities, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England. 2. College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone. 3. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. 4. Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. 5. Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. 6. Department of Public Health, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England. 7. Department of Surgery, Connaught Hospital and College of Medicine Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Abstract
IMPORTANCE: Strengthening workforce capacity to deliver essential surgical and anesthesia care has been identified as a strategy for addressing the unmet burden of morbidity and mortality in under-resourced countries. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world and faces the challenge of stretching limited resources to provide appropriate health care for a population of 6 million. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the training of surgical and anesthesia staff in Sierra Leone and to build an evidence base for future health care policy and training programs tailored to local needs. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Health care professionals who conduct surgery or deliver anesthesia at 10 of the 23 government hospitals in Sierra Leone were surveyed regarding training and clinical practices. This study surveyed 36 of 70 surgical staff (51%) and 38 of 68 nurse specialists (56%) nationally. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Descriptive analysis of demographic details, training levels, and reported needs for future development. RESULTS: Thirty-six surgeons were surveyed in study hospitals, of whom the majority had limited surgical specialization training, whereas most anesthesia was provided by 47 nurse specialists. All consultants had postgraduate qualifications, but 4 of 6 medical superintendents (67%) and all medical officers lacked postgraduate surgical qualifications or formal surgical specialist training. The number of trained anesthesia staff increased after the introduction of the Nurse Anesthesia Training Program in 2008, funded by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, increasing the number from 2 to 47 anesthesia staff based at the study hospitals. Although 32 of 37 nurse anesthetists (86%) reported having attended training workshops, 30 of 37 (>80%) described anesthesia resources as "poor," reporting a critical need for anesthesia machines and continual oxygen supply. Of the 37, 25 specifically mentioned the need for a better-functioning anesthesia machine and 16 mentioned the need for oxygen. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: To address unmet surgical need in the long term, accredited local surgical specialization programs are required; training of nonphysician surgical practitioners may offer a short-term solution. To develop safe anesthesia care, governments and donors should focus on providing health care professionals with essential equipment and resources.
IMPORTANCE: Strengthening workforce capacity to deliver essential surgical and anesthesia care has been identified as a strategy for addressing the unmet burden of morbidity and mortality in under-resourced countries. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world and faces the challenge of stretching limited resources to provide appropriate health care for a population of 6 million. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the training of surgical and anesthesia staff in Sierra Leone and to build an evidence base for future health care policy and training programs tailored to local needs. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Health care professionals who conduct surgery or deliver anesthesia at 10 of the 23 government hospitals in Sierra Leone were surveyed regarding training and clinical practices. This study surveyed 36 of 70 surgical staff (51%) and 38 of 68 nurse specialists (56%) nationally. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Descriptive analysis of demographic details, training levels, and reported needs for future development. RESULTS: Thirty-six surgeons were surveyed in study hospitals, of whom the majority had limited surgical specialization training, whereas most anesthesia was provided by 47 nurse specialists. All consultants had postgraduate qualifications, but 4 of 6 medical superintendents (67%) and all medical officers lacked postgraduate surgical qualifications or formal surgical specialist training. The number of trained anesthesia staff increased after the introduction of the Nurse Anesthesia Training Program in 2008, funded by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, increasing the number from 2 to 47 anesthesia staff based at the study hospitals. Although 32 of 37 nurse anesthetists (86%) reported having attended training workshops, 30 of 37 (>80%) described anesthesia resources as "poor," reporting a critical need for anesthesia machines and continual oxygen supply. Of the 37, 25 specifically mentioned the need for a better-functioning anesthesia machine and 16 mentioned the need for oxygen. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: To address unmet surgical need in the long term, accredited local surgical specialization programs are required; training of nonphysician surgical practitioners may offer a short-term solution. To develop safe anesthesia care, governments and donors should focus on providing health care professionals with essential equipment and resources.
Authors: Oluwakemi Tomobi; Serkan Toy; Michelle Ondari; Sabair Lee; Howard Nelson-Williams; Michael Koroma; John B Sampson Journal: J Educ Perioper Med Date: 2021-01-01
Authors: H A Bolkan; A van Duinen; B Waalewijn; M Elhassein; T B Kamara; G F Deen; I Bundu; B Ystgaard; J von Schreeb; A Wibe Journal: Br J Surg Date: 2017-05-18 Impact factor: 6.939
Authors: Hilary Edgcombe; Linden S Baxter; Soren Kudsk-Iversen; Victoria Thwaites; Fred Bulamba Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2019-03-07 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Hampus Holmer; Michael M Kamara; Håkon Angell Bolkan; Alex van Duinen; Sulaiman Conteh; Fatu Forna; Binyam Hailu; Stefan R Hansson; Alimamy P Koroma; Michael M Koroma; Jerker Liljestrand; Herman Lonnee; Santigie Sesay; Lars Hagander Journal: BMJ Glob Health Date: 2019-09-04
Authors: Gustaf Drevin; Helle Mölsted Alvesson; Alex van Duinen; Håkon A Bolkan; Alimamy P Koroma; Johan Von Schreeb Journal: BMJ Glob Health Date: 2019-07-19
Authors: Håkon A Bolkan; Lars Hagander; Johan von Schreeb; Donald Bash-Taqi; Thaim B Kamara; Øyvind Salvesen; Arne Wibe Journal: World J Surg Date: 2016-06 Impact factor: 3.352