Anesthesia Issues and Challenges: An African Perspective

There is an international standard for safe practice of anesthesia for the professional anesthesiologist which has been recommended by the society of anesthesiologists; with the aim of providing guidance and assistance to anesthesia professionals, in order to maintain the quality and safety of anesthesia care across the globe (1). Anesthesia complications were identified as a significant risk factors of a maternal mortality (543 per 100,000) after caesarean delivery among 22 African countries (2). Another study from Nigeria reported that anesthetics complications contributed to the morality of patients (3). However there’s no clear evidence that says the level of anesthesia provider has contributed directly to the maternal mortality. Some anesthesia complications are expected to be as a result of inadequate training and skills. A reasonably good outcome was reported among neonates’ patients(136 neonateswere discharged out of 190); and it was found that the outcome was due to involvement of senior residents in anesthesia. In Africa most of young medical graduates found anesthesia specialty unattractive. A study among 105 graduatingmedical studentswas conducted inNigeria andonly 3% of them were interested in anaesthesia specialization. A survey conducted in Uganda reported that only little above onetenths of anaesthesia providers could provide safe anesthesia for children.