Ethiopia

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia is a vast, land-locked country located in the Horn of Africa region and has a population of approximately 130 million people. There is a critical shortage of anesthesiologists in Ethiopia. In 2015, CASIEF was asked to help recruit volunteers to help train specialist anesthesiologists at Black Lion Hospital, Addis Ababa University (AAU). The goal of the project is to increase the number of anesthesiologists practicing within Ethiopia and ensure high-quality anesthesia residency training can be obtained without needing to leave the country.

Overview

The AAU Department of Anesthesia had four consultant anesthesiologists in 2011. Currently, there are over 200 anesthesiologists in the country. AAU has committed to training an increasing number of anesthesia residents each year on an ongoing basis (over 30 new residents per year since 2022!), and is establishing a local cardiac anesthesia program.

One-month teaching trips are composed of one or two Canadian staff anesthesiologists and one to two senior anesthesia residents or fellows. The major focus of each trip is clinical instruction/supervision of AAU anesthesia residents. Team members are responsible for delivering teaching in both the classroom and clinical setting. Clinical care and the provision of anesthesia services remains the responsibility of the designated AAU staff anesthesiologists and there are no on-call duties or responsibilities. Canadian residents and/or fellows are expected to deliver (or assist with) lectures, journal clubs, and case management rounds for AAU anesthesia trainees and act as peer mentors. There are also opportunities to collaborate or mentor research projects with AAU faculty and trainees.

Team members receive accommodation and in country transportation by AAU. Full reimbursemet for airfare to Addis Ababa is provided to staff anesthesiologists who commit to a four-week trip. Canadian residents continue to receive their regular salary, while pursuing this overseas experience; their home institutions are expected to provide support for travel costs.

CASIEF really helped the capacity building of our faculty.

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[CASIEF is] helping us a lot. They don’t limit themselves and they don’t limit their knowledge, their service, their energy… that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned.

Dr. Sofonyas Getaneh
Anesthesiology Resident Black Lion Hospital, Ethopia

Watch Dr. Sofonyas' Story

[CASIEF is] helping us a lot. They don’t limit themselves and they don’t limit their knowledge, their service, their energy… that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned.

Dr. Sofonyas Getaneh
Anesthesiology Resident Black Lion Hospital, Ethopia