Anesthesia equipment with new features can reduce chronic
equipment problems that have to be worked around. The introduction
of an end-tidal CO2 monitor identified non-functional soda lime.
Without fresh granules the only solution was to bypass the ventilator
and convert from a semicircle system to an open system.

Imagine a country in Africa with only one anesthesia physician in a population of three to five million people. Or a more developed African country with one anesthesia physician for each million residents. This lack of anesthesiologists is the reality for many of the 54 countries and over one billion people who reside in Africa.

A Kenyan Anesthesiology resident talks to
medical students on a rotation through her speciality.

Nurse anesthetists and anesthesia officers who are responsible for the majority of anesthetic care in Africa, have minimal or no access to continuing medical education (CME), and the challenge of working with inadequate equipment is a daily routine. Dr. John Sampson, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, has led medical teams to Eritrea, Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, and Burkina Faso to train anesthesiologists. He will return to Africa to represent the Johns Hopkins Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the 4th All Africa Anaesthesia Congress (AAAC).

The Johns Hopkins Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine is a co-sponsor of the AAAC, a once per four-year event created to address pain, anesthesia and critical care medicine issues within Africa. The 2009 AAAC will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from Sept. 12 - 17, 2009 and will have approximately 1,500 - 2,000 participants.

As an official co-sponsor of the 2009 AAAC in Nairobi, Kenya, the Hopkins Anesthesiology Department will match each dollar donated by the Faculty and Staff to the 4th All Africa Anaesthesia Congress.

You can register early by visiting the 2009 AAAC Online Registration Site or you can print out a 2009 AAAC Registration Form.

Making a Difference in Kenya

In October 2008, clinicians from the Johns Hopkins Medicine Departments of Neurosurgery and Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine embarked on a trip to two sites in Kenya to treat patients and conduct educational collaboration with their Kenyan colleagues. This medical project was a collaboration with the RJW Foundation. The RJW Foundation's mission is to improve surgical care in Kenya through education.

Surgeon Jon Weingart, M.D stands in a typical Masai village.

Neurosurgeon Matt Koenig, M.D. assists Surgeon James Frazier, M.D.
in a ventriculostomy placement surgery.

Anesthesia challenges encountered included equipment and
resource limitations, challenging cases and the need to
rapidly identify and solve unexpected occurrences.

Members of the Kenya 2008 Team

Neurosurgeons
George Jallo, M.D.
Jon Weingart, M.D.
J.P. Wolensky, M.D.

Neurosurgery Residents
James Frazier, M.D.
Matt McGirt, M.D.

Neuroanesthesiologist
John B. Sampson, M.D.

Neurology Critical Care Providers
Matt Koenig, M.D.
Jennifer Moran, ACPN, CNRN

Photojournalist
Eric Gottesman

Critical care medicine challenges include equipment and staff
limitations, Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) locations off site and limited resources.

At Coast General Hospital the use of bednets in the ICU served as a
barrier to both mosquitos and other disease carrying insects.

Matt McGirt, M.D. was key to the organization of the medical project.
From left to right: John B. Sampson, M.D., Matt McGirt, M.D.,
The Honorable Justice Hayanga, George Jallo, M.D., James Frazier, M.D.

Neurosurgeon Dr. George Jallo inspects a microscope
at Eldoret. He assesses its potential for a proposed case
and makes recommendations for improvement.

The medical team, eating at the world famous Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya.

Related Links:

• AAAC Conference - Come to Kenya with the Johns Hopkins Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine and help to improve perioperative care in Africa by registering or contributing to the 4th All Africa Anaesthesia Congress in September, 2009.
• Register by visiting the 2009 AAAC Online Registration Site or print out a 2009 AAAC Registration Form.
• Doctors for United Medical Missions (DrUMM) - DrUMM is a non-profit, philanthropic organization that is committed towards improving medical care in developing countries through the performance of collaborative medical projects.
• The RJW Foundation - Ruben J. Williams is committed to positively impact the training of surgeons in East Africa, by facilitating a global exchange of ideas, advances and skills in the medical field.
• Johns Hopkins Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine
• The Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins
• World Health Organization
• World Health Organization: Kenya
• Global Medical Missions Draw White House Interest
• WYPR "In Focus Today": Local Physicians On Mission To East Africa

To Learn More:

Dr. John B. Sampson, MD
Neuroanesthesia Division
Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
jsampso4@jhmi.edu