Smacc

Annet Alenyo Ngabirano was enjoying the community medical placement in the 4th year of medical school. Placed 60km from the nearest hospital, in the lush hills of Uganda, the days were filled with vaccination drives, local outpatient clinics and lazing about. That was until a frantic nurse burst into the room and rushed the three medical students to the bedside of a severely sick and dehydrated infant. There was no doctor. There was no senior nursing staff. They no training, no equipment, no backup, and no resuscitation area - yet this small group of 4th year students were the only hope this small baby had. After trying to gain IV access for over 30 minutes, Annet felt exhausted, overwhelmed, under equipped, under resourced and alone. This is emblematic of where Emergency care in Africa has come from. Over 85% of the world’s population live in Low and Middle Income countries. Health statistics in these countries are characterised by numerous deaths from treatable time-sensitive illnesses and injuries resultin