We Continue To Manage And Provide Safe Anesthesia For All
“I am Mubarak Mohamed, Head of Anesthesia at Edna Adan University Hospital in the capital city of Somaliland – Hargeisa. The number of COVID-19 cases nationally has dropped, but we are waiting for the second wave.
“I am Mubarak Mohamed, Head of Anesthesia at Edna Adan University Hospital in the capital city of Somaliland – Hargeisa. The number of COVID-19 cases nationally has dropped, but we are waiting for the second wave.
The main challenges facing healthcare providers across my country, like so many countries around the world, has been a lack of PPE – N95 face masks, plastic aprons, face shields – and a lack of training on how to provide care for COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 patients. At the Edna Adan Hospital, we need critical care medical equipment for basic and advanced life support for COVID-19 patients.
Edna Adan Ismail and Mubarak Mohamed with the Lifebox pulse oximeters for distribution in Somaliland
As we know, anesthesia providers across the globe are on the frontline of this pandemic. In Somaliland, many have tested positive, but as we work through this pandemic, we are learning how to protect and minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19. We have had online training and courses to support us in continuing to provide care to everyone. In September, five of my colleagues and I took part in the COVID-19 Surgical Patient ChecklistTraining-of-Trainers with Lifebox to improve our clinical practice for safe anesthesia pre-, intra-, and postoperative management. The aim was to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and the risk of exposure to our staff when operating on COVID-19 positive or suspected patients.
The COVID-19 Surgical Patient Checklist, developed by Lifebox in partnership with WFSA and Smile Train.
Whilst I still fear the spread of COVID-19 throughout Somaliland from asymptomatic patients, with growing critically ill patients and a rising death rate – I will still provide usual care for everyone. My colleagues and I — we continue to manage and provide safe anesthesia for all.”
Lifebox is proud that our COVID-19 response has helped many anesthesia providers, like Mubarak, receive the tools and training needed to provide safe anesthesia and COVID-19 care to their patients. Below, midwife, nurse, former Finance Minister of Somaliland and founder of the Edna Adan Hospital – Edna Adan Ismail – talks about Lifebox and the destinations for the 55 provided pulse oximeters.
“I want to thank Lifebox for the 60 pulse oximeters, received in perfect condition. When we made the request for pulse oximeters, we asked so we could give 5 each to the big hospitals. But since there are smaller hospitals where surgery is performed, we decided we would share them with all the health facilities in Somaliland, depending on the size and the number of surgeries they perform.”
– Edna Adan Ismail on the distribution of 60 Lifebox pulse oximeters in Somaliland
“I want to thank Lifebox for the 60 pulse oximeters, received in perfect condition. When we made the request for pulse oximeters, we asked so we could give 5 each to the big hospitals. But since there are smaller hospitals where surgery is performed, we decided we would share them with all the health facilities in Somaliland, depending on the size and the number of surgeries they perform.”