This will be my second trip to Lilongwe, Malawi to teach anesthesia techniques to the clinical officers and trainees at Kamuzu Central Hospital. As part of a global anestheisia rotation at UNC, I will be supervising two anesthesia residents from the US who will be learning about anesthesia practice with scarce resources. The residents will also provide lectures and simulation sessions with the trainees in Malawi. I also provide a regional anesthesia workshop, introducing ultrasound guided techniques to the clinical officers. This helps improve the safety and analgesic management of patients in Lilongwe. I offer hands on training as well as classroom lectures. I will be bringing a donated ultrasound to leave with the officers at KCH. I also will be teaching obstetric anesthesia and management of hemorrhage in this population.
This project benefits all the people of Malawi. The training we provide for the officers and trainees will be used throughout the entire country as the anesthesia providers are trained in a central location and then disbursed around the country. My specialties are regional and obstetric anesthesia which will serve two very large populations of patients in Africa, trauma and obstetric patients. I will also be furthering the education of US residents to provide global outreach care.
I expect the impact of my teaching to improve outcomes related to pain management, local anesthesia toxicity, spinal anesthesia for obstetric patients, After my first visit, we created a questionnaire related to failed spinals, and we are collecting data to analyze and evaluate for improvement. Also by introducing ultrasound guided techniques, peripheral blocks will be more successful and safer. UNC will continue to return to Lilongwe 1-2 times per year to continue our collaboration with lectures and hands on training.
I returned recently from a trip to Lilongwe, Malawi to work with the anesthesia clinical officers and the trainees. I was able to get an ultrasound donated from Sonosite to leave at the hospital there. The anesthesia department did not have an ultrasound but certainly could use one. This was my second visit and each time I have done an ultrasound workshop to teach basic scanning techniques and uses for the officers. The clinical officers were so eager to learn and take advantage of the new tool. We used it in the OR and the ICU. It will be valuable tool for nerve blocks, vascular access, and pneumothorax evaluation. The clinical officers work very hard, long hours, with extremely limited resources and very ill patients. The officers clearly are overworked and overextended. By introducing the ultrasound and giving lectures and demonstrations, the officers had a significant increase in morale. They are so eager to learn and improve their anesthesia skills. They really appreciate our attention, and it gives them a source of happiness and fulfillment. I can't wait to go back.
