The delivery and challenges of Pediatric Anesthesia within the humanitarian sector: Médecins Sans Frontières and Mercy Ships

Francesca Holt; Sarah Kwok; Kehinde Garuba; Israel Kolawole; Michelle C White

doi:10.1111/pan.14915

The delivery and challenges of Pediatric Anesthesia within the humanitarian sector: Médecins Sans Frontières and Mercy Ships

Paediatr Anaesth. 2024 Sep;34(9):926-933. doi: 10.1111/pan.14915. Epub 2024 May 17.

Authors

Francesca Holt^{1

2}, Sarah Kwok³, Kehinde Garuba^{2

4}, Israel Kolawole⁵, Michelle C White^{6

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anaesthesia, Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.
² Médecins Sans Frontières.
³ Chief Medical Officer, Global Mercy, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
⁴ Department of Anaesthesia, Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, Nigeria.
⁵ Department of Anaesthesia, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
⁶ Department of Anaesthesia, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.
⁷ Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships, King's College London, London, UK.
⁸ Mercy Ships, London, UK.

PMID: 38757915
DOI: 10.1111/pan.14915

Abstract

Access to healthcare is inequitable. Poverty, natural disasters and war disproportionally effect those most vulnerable, including children. Non-governmental organizations (NGO) hold a vital role in providing pediatric care in these contexts. Here we describe the delivery and challenges of Pediatric Anesthesia with two such non-governmental organizations; Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Mercy Ships. Descriptions of both are followed by case studies.

Keywords: Global Health; anesthesia; global surgery; medical missions; pediatrics.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Altruism*
Anesthesia* / methods
Anesthesiology* / methods
Child
Child, Preschool
Delivery of Health Care
Health Services Accessibility
Humans
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Medical Missions
Organizations
Pediatric Anesthesia
Pediatrics* / methods
Ships