The Society of Anaesthesiologists of Tanzania (SATA) held their third Conference in Dar es Salaam with the topic “Critical Care and Paediatric Anaesthesia in District Hospitals” on 18th-20th May 2016.
SATA was established in 2013 under the leadership of three Tanzanian Anaesthesiologists, Dr Mpoki, Dr Karima and Dr Vense. As the official professional society in the country, SATA represents the interests of all anaesthesia practitioners in Tanzania, and aims to improve access and quality of Anaesthetic services. 
Life Support Foundation encouraged the formation of SATA and SATA has since requested the involvement of Life Support Foundation in the national conferences. Life Support Foundation supported the third national conference in May 2016 in the following ways:
Provided two faculty members- Sponsored 10 participants from remote parts of Tanzania.
- Sponsored 2 participants from the neighbouring country, Malawi
- Facilitated the donation of 173 pulse oximeters
- Donated USB memory sticks full of medical literature to all delegates
- Facilitated the donation of books to all delegates
- Facilitated the donation of books to all resident doctors
- Together with international anaesthesiologists founded iGAS, the “International Group Assisting SATA”
The Conference was held in the Kisenga LAPF International Conference Centre in Dar es Salaam. There were 173 delegates, a mix of Anaesthetic Officers, Nurse Anaesthetists, Anaesthesiologists and trainee doctors. The delegates came from Dar, from all over Tanzania and from other African countries. Some had travelled two days to attend.
Opening Speeches
The conference was opened by the country’s most senior doctor, the Chief Medical Officer Prof Muhammed Bakari. SATA’s president Dr Mpoki then highlighted the huge problems facing anaesthesia in Tanzania and thanking Life Support Foundation and other sponsors for their support.
From Life Support Foundation, Dr Tim Baker presented “The Ideal Critical Care Setup”, “Vital Signs Directed Therapy in ICU” and “Preparations for Paediatric Anaesthesia”. Prof Lars Irestedt then presented “International Collaborations in Anaesthesia” including describing the work of Life Support Foundation and comparing the development of Swedish Anaesthesia in the last century and parallels with the current situation in Tanzania. The full programme is below:
Ten Tanzanian delegates were sponsored by Life Support Foundation. They were from hospitals in remote parts of the country and wouldn’t have been able to attend without the sponsorship. Dr Owen Malema and Dr Charles Unyolo from Blantyre, Malawi were sponsored by Life Support Foundation to travel to Tanzania for the conference. 
Malawi has only 3 doctors specialised in Anaesthesia and has no active society. It was Owen and Charles’ first trip to Tanzania and they took back lots of inspiration and information about how to develop their specialty back in their home country.
Equipment and Books
Every delegate at the conference received a USB memory stick full of medical articles, books and guidelines. Life Support Foundation facilitated the donation of an Oxford Handbook of Obstetric Anaesthesia in Developing Countries to every delegate, kindly donated by the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI). The AAGBI also donated 30 copies of the larger Oxford Handbook of Anaesthesia, which Life Support Foundation gave to every resident currently training in Anaesthesia in Tanzania. 
International Group Assisting SATA – iGAS
Along with colleagues from the USA, Australia, the UK, the Netherlands and Uganda, Life Support Foundation founded iGAS with the aim of coordinating international efforts to strengthen Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in Tanzania.
Conclusion
A really positive conference, attended by many delegates from the whole country and abroad and including a large involvement from Life Support Foundation. Everyone departed Dar with increased knowledge, new friends and the feeling that the future for Anaesthesia in Tanzania has never looked brighter!
