COVID-19 in Africa

Dr. Sonia Akrimi

Director- Zambia Anaesthesia Development Program
Trustee- Global Anaesthesia Development Project

If a peak in cases like we have seen in North America and Europe occur, the impact of COVID-19 in Africa is likely to be devastating.  In addition to worries about a surge in critically unwell patients, deaths and morbidity directly resulting from a reduction in essential services will increase.

In response to this, CASIEF are working with the Global Anaesthesia Development Project to support anaesthesia providers in low and middle-income countries in their response to COVID-19, aiming to reduce the negative impact on progress made in the development of perioperative capacity and safety in past years.

A critical part of this work is keeping anaesthesia providers safe through appropriate PPE.  By supporting the work of the Global Anaesthesia Development Project, CASIEF have been able to support a significant increase in PPE provision for anaesthesia providers in Ethiopia, including sourcing 1,000 N95 masks.  We are working with GADP to source more masks and to work with local traders to make use of innovative solutions for PPE, for example locally produced face shields and other filtering face masks.

We are aiming to make sure that our anaesthesia provider partners feel confident they can care for patients with the correct protective equipment in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.  However, with so many anaesthesia providers in need of our support, there remains a long way to go.

You can help by supporting the Global Anaesthesia Development Project’s fundraising campaign in which funds are being raised for anaesthesia providers in both of GADP’s partner countries, Ethiopia and Zambia.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/personalprotectiveequipment

This money will go directly towards sourcing more N95 masks and increasing local production of masks, face shields and surgical gowns in both countries.

For further information about the GADP response to COVID-19, please see https://gadppartnerships.com/ or email Sonia Akrimi (sakrimi@doctors.org.uk).