RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Emergency and surgery services of primary hospitals in the United Republic of Tanzania
JF BMJ Open
JO BMJ Open
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP e000369
DO 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000369
VO 2
IS 1
A1 Penoyar, Tom
A1 Cohen, Hillary
A1 Kibatala, P
A1 Magoda, A
A1 Saguti, G
A1 Noel, L
A1 Groth, S
A1 Mwakyusa, D H
A1 Cherian, M
YR 2012
UL http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000369.abstract
AB Objective The primary objective was to evaluate the capacity of first-referral health facilities in Tanzania to perform basic surgical procedures. The intent was to assist in planning strategies for universal access to life-saving and disability-preventing surgical services.Design Cross-sectional survey.Setting First-referral health facilities in the United Republic of Tanzania.Participants 48 health facilities.Measures The WHO Tool for Situational Analysis to Assess Emergency and Essential Surgical Care was employed to capture a health facility's capacity to perform basic surgical (including obstetrics and trauma) and anaesthesia interventions by investigating four categories of data: infrastructure, human resources, interventions available and equipment. The tool queried the availability of eight types of care providers, 35 surgical interventions and 67 items of equipment.Results The 48 facilities surveyed served 18.6 million residents (46% of the population). Supplies for basic airway management were inconsistently available. Only 42% had consistent access to oxygen, and only six functioning pulse oximeters were located in all facilities surveyed. 37.5% of facilities reported both consistent running water and electricity. While very basic interventions (suturing, wound debridement, incision and drainage) were provided in nearly all facilities, more advanced life-saving procedures including chest tube thoracostomy (30/48), open fracture management (29/48) and caesarean section delivery (32/48) were not consistently available.Conclusions Based on the results in this WHO country survey, significant gaps exist in the capacity for emergency and essential surgical services in Tanzania including deficits in human resources, essential equipment and infrastructure. The information in this survey will provide a foundation for evidence-based decisions in country-level policy regarding the allocation of resources and provision of emergency and essential surgical services.