The state of emergency medicine in the United Republic of Tanzania

Abstract

The United Republic of Tanzania is the world’s 31st largest with a 2009 census reported a population of 43.7 million people, with more than 80% of the population in rural areas. Considered a low income country, Tanzania is recognized for its ethnic and unparalleled biodiversity. Medical resources are limited and HIV/AIDS, malaria, and respiratory diseases disproportionally impact morbidity and mortality. In addition, the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is rising, with diabetes, hypertension, and vehicular injuries accounting for the greatest increases. Currently at most hospitals, emergency patients are cared for in Emergency Centres (ECs) staffed with rotating personnel who are neither trained nor equipped to provide complete resuscitative care, but dedicated emergency care training projects are emerging. The first Emergency Medicine residency in the country was initiated in 2010 and will produce its first graduates in 2013. In 2011, a dedicated Emergency Nursing curriculum was introduced, and the Emergency Medical Association of Tanzania (EMAT), the first Emergency Medicine professional society in the country, was formed and ratified by the Ministry of Health. EMAT has been given a mandate to develop feasible initiatives for the dissemination of emergency care training to district and sub-district facilities. However, significant gaps exist in the capacity for emergency medical care including deficits in human resources, essential equipment and infrastructure – concurrent issues that EMAT must address within its development strategy.

Keywords

• Emergency medicine
• Casualty
• Tanzania
• Development