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Paediatric Committee Report 2008-12
Rebecca Jacob
There seems to be a greater recognition of the need for specialization in pediatric anesthesia especially in the developing countries where medical aid seems to have improved or is improving. People are beginning to accept the need for protocol based safety standards. This is the time to reach out and stress on minimal safety standards in anesthesia care and provide this through education and interaction. This committee could be facilitators and provide a ‘Bank’ of interactive knowledge – emailing is easy- however getting this underway is difficult as we still think on the personal level.
Teaching and education in conjunction with the Education Committee.
1. To improve pediatric anesthesia in Kenya and others African countries
A request from Dr Gathuya, Kenya for starting a pediatric anesthesia training program. was forwarded to the Education Committee. Initial problems with funding and faculty are slowly being resolved and we hope that this initiative will be started in the near future and sustainable in the long run.
2. The Asian initiative.
a. The Chinese University of Hong Kong was recognized as part of the pediatric training program. The first fellow was Dr Ira Pitraloka of Surabaya Indonesia, Funding of this program was partly by WFSA and partly by the dept in Surabaya as cost of the training is very high
Ira has completed her training and returned to Surabaya where h r work is much appreciated. She recently organized the 6th Indonesian Society of Pediatric anesthesiologists conference in Surabaya. This was a great success and was attended by a large number of consultants and trainees. Continuing with this program appears difficult due to stringent requirements now proposed by the trainers in Hong Kong – both in terms of language, basic training and monetary requirements.
b. A similar program was started at the KKH Womens and Childrens Hospital in Singapore. Requirement of pass in the English exam limits the training period that may be offered to candidate
The first fellow from China Lihong Hou – has completed training and returned to her parent university She seems to have learned a lot and is much appreciated by her dept
Another fellow from Cambodia was expected to join the course but could not do so due to family reasons.
This program is still open to applicants
An initiative is being taken by the Asian Society of Pediatric Anesthetists, the WFSA and some of the local pediatric anesthesia associations, to run workshops on safe pediatric anesthesia in areas of need in the Asian region. Faculty will be drawn from this region and an attempt will be made to keep down the overhead costs to a minimum. Identification of centers, registration of appropriate trainees – who will be doctors or nurses or operating room technicians, the provision of equipment, travel and accommodation details for faculty are being arranged. The proposal has been passed by the ASPA and put forward to the WFSA. The Philippines society has asked to host the first workshop in February 2011 and this is now under consideration.
3. Europe
The Serbian group of anesthetists have been organizing on going training programs for teaching pediatric anesthesia. This initiative has been recognized by the WFSA and appears to be a great success.
In collaboration with the Publications committee
1. The Spanish translation of the book Understanding Pediatric Anesthesia was undertaken by the South American anesthesiologists of CLASA. Gonzalo Barreiro co-ordinated this massive effort with able help from Luis Moggi – pediatric anesthesia committee member from Argentina. The translation is complete the books are ready and in Argentina. It is proposed to distribute them during the World Congress. Funding of this translation came from the ASA and WFSA.
2. The Chinese translation of the book is well underway in Xian under the guidance of Prof Lise Xiong who is the President of Xijing Hospital and Professor of Anesthesiology, The Fourth Military Medical University. He has a team of committed Translators working with him and I understand that the book is nearing completion. This translation is partly funded by the WFSA, The Smile Train Organisation and the Medical University in Xian. Getting permission for translation copyright from the publishers and funding for the copyright came through the Smile Train Organisation who have already ordered 400 copies of the book for their smile Train partner hospitals in China
3. The next translation is into Bahasa Indonesia and is being undertaken by the team in Surabaya under the leadership of Dr Elizeus Hanindito The translation permission and documents have just been signed with the publisher
Our strengths are that committee members are from all over the world and we should get support from them and advice very easily. However Diverse practices, poor communication and limited funding have proved to be our weaknesses. Considering that we had only $1,000/- per year we seem to have difficulty in coming up with one project that will benefit a large number. Subsequently the funding policy has changed and we may now consider bringing up proposals which may require more funding. However very few requests or suggestions have come up.
I think when the new committee is formed, a ‘job description’ for the chair of the committee and a ‘framework’ for the working of the committee should be drawn up with methods of communication and frequency of communication, difficulties in communicating etc discussed so that ultimately it is not one or two people doing all the work – or making a noise or maintaining a strong silence over a period of 4 years!
Pediatric Committee Report 2012 is a Follow Up on Pediatric Committee report June 2011
1. The Asian Society of Pediatric Anesthesia has their first meeting/workshop in the Philippines on 3rd and 4th Feb 2012. At the ASPA meeting there I hope to propose joint meetings/workshops with ASPA and WFSA in the Asian region.
2. The Smile Train is starting an initiative to train doctors and nurses in post op care of children undergoing cleft surgery. This has already started in Africa (Uganda) and will start in India at the end of this year. Teaching material is being prepared and will be available for tainers and participants. This may be another initiative WFSA pediatric committee may consider being associated with
3. Pediatric Training Fellowships: Dr Sajan Philip George who was trained in Melbourne has returned to Vellore and the Fellowship program there may be restarted for Anesthesiologists from South Asia. South East Asian candidates may go to Singapore. Nairobi in Kenya, under Zipporah Gananthuya, should be starting soon. Other training centers continue in Tunis, Cape Town and Santiago.
Dr Rebecca Jacob
Chair, Paediatrics Committee
