WOMEN ANAESTHETISTS IN WEST AFRICA - CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS.

The entry of women into medicine was late compared to men. The number of women entering medical schools has increased worldwide in recent years. This increase in female medical graduates has led to a gradual increase in the number of women specialising in various fields. Anaesthesia as a specialty has not been popular with medical graduates, a situation which seems to be changing all over the world. Women in anaesthesia in West Africa have broken through the "glass ceiling." This paper will show how they have progressed through academia, and gained entry into "local politics" by occupying various positions in administration. Their involvement and achievements in the various Postgraduate Medical Colleges is highlighted. Their interest in various societies and associations, their roles and achievements are also highlighted in the paper. The results of a questionnaire administered to some female anaesthetists of the Department of Anaesthesia, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, concludes this paper.