Human Matter | Worrying statistics that medical technology could address effectively | Reommark HitsTZ
Tanzania and other countries across the globe marked World Health Day yesterday by further raising awareness on healthcare issues in society.
Among the pertinent issues is the need to reduce the numbers of maternal and newborn deaths, still a pressing issue in Tanzania and the world over.
This year, the World Health Day focused on Universal Health Coverage (UHC). In part, this entails taking healthcare products and services to the people who are badly in need of them as a matter of routine – most of whom can hardly afford the products and services.
The noble objective in this is to save lives.
Recent demographic health surveys show that one woman and 4 newborns die during childbirth in Tanzania every hour of the day!
Yet, there are only 44 anaesthesiologists (experts in pain management during surgery) for the country’s population of over 55 million souls.
For many years now, the key question has been how to bring down the numbers of women and newborn deaths. Another is how to raise the number of anaesthesiologists.
Assorted efforts to achieve both noble objectives continue to be made in Tanzania.
One, was when the Health ministry partnered with Safe Surgery 2020, GE Foundation, Jhpiego, Assist International, the Harvard PGSSC and the G4 Alliance to initiate the National Surgical, Obstetrics and Anesthesia Plan (NSOAP) in April 2017.
This was alongside the existing Health Sector Strategic Plan 2015-2025, under which the government is working to improve the quality of healthcare services in tandem with the pursuit of universal healthcare access.
Fair enough...
Unstinted efforts by the government to reduce maternal and newborn mortality rates are ongoing – and, indeed, the country can cut down the numbers of such deaths if investment in new technologies is ramped up.
There is increasing evidence that most of these deaths occur in areas where there is no electricity – or the supply is unreliable – and also where life-saving equipment during emergency surgery or maternal healthcare is still a pipedream.
Even where there is reliable power and the equipment/devices for providing life-saving emergency care, the equipment could/would be old/outdated, or broken down with no hope for replacement – especially in rustic settings.
This is known to leave health workers in an awkward position, whereby they can only attend to patients less effectively, using risky healthcare procedures.
Given this worrying situation, it was heartwarming to learn of the partnership between the government – a US-based medical technology company – and the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (Muhas), which is bent on reducing maternal and newborn deaths through using new technologies.
Introducing the Universal Anaesthesia Machine (UAM) in Tanzania is a step in the right direction.
A part of the Gradian Health Systems, UAM is the first Chartered Engineers-certified anesthesia machine that can generate its own medical oxygen, and work without electricity.
This is indeed ideal for rural Tanzania, as this newest technology has been rolled out to areas that face utility shortages and staffing challenges.
Over 200 Tanzanian health facilities have been equipped with UAMs: an investment of more than $3 million in robust, easy to operate, equipment.
I believe that the government, working in partnership with the private sector (P/PPs) – combined with specialized training and state-of-the-art technologies – could transform the way in which anesthesia care is provided in the country.
With all these machines in action – and all the other shortcomings are surmounted – then the government would make huge savings in the Health sector, even as more lives are saved and life prolonged.
It also means that safe surgery would have been taken closer to where most medical emergencies occur.
Credit to the Citzen
