Smile Train, Lifebox Partner to Equip Low-Resource Hospitals with Lifesaving Technology
"Capnography shouldn't be a privilege; it should be standard for surgical patient safety everywhere, and it is needed now," said Kris Torgeson, Lifebox Global CEO.
Singapore - Millions undergoing surgery in low-resource settings will benefit from a new collaborative effort to improve surgical safety, writes Winston Mwale.
Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused organization, and Lifebox, a global non-profit advocating for safer surgery, have joined forces to address a critical gap in essential medical equipment.
The partnership focuses on advocating for the inclusion of capnographs, vital monitoring equipment, in healthcare systems and equipment standards worldwide.
Smile Train further announced an additional $300,000 donation of capnographs to their partner hospitals, bringing their total commitment to over $600,000.
Capnographs: A Simple Tool with Lifesaving Potential
Capnographs are used to detect misplacement of the breathing tube, a leading cause of anesthesia-related complications and deaths in low-resource settings.
"Without an oxygen supply, the patient will suffer catastrophic harm in a matter of minutes, including brain damage and death," explained Dr. Elizabeth Igaga, Director of Programs Safety at Smile Train.
"The risk of a misplaced breathing tube is greater in children."
Despite its effectiveness, capnography remains largely unavailable in low-resource settings, with research showing a 100% gap between need and availability.
However, the introduction of capnographs in the United States in 1991 "led to a dramatic decline in anesthesia-related complications and deaths," said Susannah Schaefer, President and CEO of Smile Train.
"We believe inclusion of capnographs as essential equipment will catalyze its adoption worldwide, ultimately saving countless lives."
Addressing Challenges and Creating Solutions
The high cost and lack of locally adapted devices have hindered capnography's adoption in low-resource settings.
To address this, Smile Train and Lifebox created the Smile Train-Lifebox Capnograph, a user-friendly and affordable option specifically designed for these environments.
Collaboration for Global Impact
This partnership, announced during the 18th World Congress of Anaesthesiologists in Singapore, signifies a significant step towards safer surgery globally.
By advocating for the inclusion of capnographs in essential equipment lists and training healthcare providers, the collaboration aims to ensure every patient, regardless of location, has access to this lifesaving technology.
"Capnography shouldn't be a privilege; it should be standard for surgical patient safety everywhere, and it is needed now," said Kris Torgeson, Lifebox Global CEO.
"Inclusion, for example, in operating room checklists as an essential piece of equipment would represent a monumental step in making surgery safer for every patient, regardless of where they live."