The 22 Anaesthetists in Tanzania will become 55 within the next three years. This has been Life Support Foundation’s priority for increasing efforts in Anaesthetia and Intensive Care in the country, in order to save lives.
Every year more than four times more people in the world die of conditions that could be treated by surgery and anaesthesia than by HIV, tuberculosis and malaria combined. In spite of this need, it is an under-prioritized area. The newspaper Huffington Post writes that the lack of safe anaesthesia is a crisis facing five billion people globally.
An important part of Life Support Foundation’s work is to advocate at different levels for increased efforts on anaesthesia and intensive care. Among other positive effects, this could reduce the high maternal and infant mortality rates. Results have 
begun to appear in Tanzania, where more medical students are choosing to specialize in anaesthesia and intensive care.
– The support that we receive from Life Support Foundation is immense,” said Dr. Mpoki Ulisubisya, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, in an interview at the Annual Conference of the Society of Anaesthesiologists of Tanzania, SATA, in May. Watch the video here
Recently, a national plan for improved care in surgery, obstetrics, trauma and anaesthesia in Tanzania was launched.
One of the 39 residents who will soon be a specialist is Eva Shanga, whose training is sponsored by Life Support Foundation and EDUF. After completing her training, she will start working at Temeke Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
