I am a pediatrician practicing rural medicine in Kentucky. I am hoping to attend a conference in Tanzania - the 5th annual Tiny Feet, Big Steps— Advancing Care of Critically Ill and Premature Babies in Africa Neonatology Conference.
I am hoping to provide intensive workshops at this conference on non-invasive ventilation.
Previously I was scheduled to go in Oct 2025 but due to political upheaval the conference had to be cancelled.
Infants in low to middle income countries who suffer from respiratory distress. Currently in many of these countries they don't have access to life saving ventilation and if they need additional respiratory support they die. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation can provide an additional level of support to treat these babies.
The expected impact is for nurses and doctors to be further trained in non-invasive ventilation and to be able to use these skills to serve these infants around the world
I was able to give a plenary lecture on Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) to over one hundred conference participants from countries all over Africa. I was able to talk about when to escalate treatment from bubble CPAP to NIPPV and when to deescalate. Additionally, I was able to train over hundred physicians and nurses in the use of low cost bubble NIPPV device. I conducted practical, hands on workshops where they were able to take apart and set up the device. Many will be implementing this technology in their hospitals helping children in different countries across Africa.
