Getting capnography to the front lines

There is an urgent need to make capnography widely accessible in low- and middle-income countries through collaborative strategies to overcome barriers in funding, education, and distribution.

In high-income countries (HICs), capnography is considered an essential tool for anesthesiologists, who would not administer general anesthesia or sedation without it. However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), capnography remains largely unavailable, creating a significant gap in patient safety between resource-rich and resource-limited settings. The success of oximetry in narrowing similar gaps has shown that clear standards, device development, funding, and education can help bridge this divide. With suitable capnography devices like the Smile Train-Lifebox capnograph, now available for LMICs, it’s time to recognize capnography as a crucial tool for all patients, not just those in wealthy nations. The global anesthesiology community must act to close this capnography gap.

Authors: Robert J. McDougall, Wayne W. Morriss, Priya K. Desai and Natsagdorj Batgombo