Making Cesarean Section Safe: ACEPHAP, Global Surgery Foundation conclude Training of Surgical Teams
Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP) and Global Surgery Foundation teams have concluded the training of surgical teams for the Making Cesarean Section Safe project in Kano State. The surgical teams trained comprise surgeons, anaesthetic surgeons, nurse anaesthetists, circulating nurses, assistant surgeons, peri-op nurses and midwives.
Delivering her remarks during the closure of the session, the Director of ACEPHAP, Prof. Hadiza Shehu Galadanci, expressed her satisfaction with the conduct of the trainings. She stated that “it is very important to make cesarean section safe in Kano State, as the global estimates highlight that women in low and middle income countries like Nigeria have 50 to 100 times higher risks of complications during cesarean section.”
Prof. Galadanci also admitted that the training used mannequins for practical sessions, which ensured that knowledge and skills are effectively delivered to the participants. She also noted that the complete and consistent use of the surgical safety checklist enhances teamwork, communication, and patient safety during cesarean deliveries.
In his remarks during the conclusion of the session, Dr. John Varallo, an obstetrician and gynaecologist and the team lead of the Women’s Health Program at the Global Surgery Foundation, said, “The focus of the project is to improve access to safe, timely and respectful care for all women who need it.” He also noted that apart from technical skills, non-technical skills such as teamwork and communication are important for ensuring a safe cesarean section.
Dr. Varallo appreciated the teams by acknowledging their willingness to learn, enthusiasm for implementing the new knowledge and skills they have gained and transferring the innovation to others. The training can be very transformational for mothers and children in Kano State, he said.
The project takes on a hub and spoke approach across 10 facilities in the state. Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) as a hub has Kura General Hospital, Wudil General Hospital, D/Kudu, and Nuhu Bamalli Hospital as its spokes, while Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital (MAWTH) as a hub has Waziri Gidado General Hospital, Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital, Sir Muhammad Sunusi Hospital, and Sabo Bakin Zuwo Hospital as its spokes.
Basically, the training involved CS standardization, the infection prevention bundle, the correct and complete use of the surgical safety checklist for CS, active management of PPH and eclampsia, surgical site infection treatment, and other complications related to CS aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in the state.
The training will be cascaded to other healthcare providers by the trained personnel who are now champions that will lead teams across other facilities. Also, trainings will be via physical sessions in their respective facilities and through quarterly mentorship for the remaining facilities.
In their various remarks during the closing of the sessions, the surgical teams expressed their satisfaction with the conduct of the sessions. They applauded ACEPHAP and the Global Surgery Foundation for involving them in the transformational journey which has equipped them with the right skills to save more lives of women and children. Lastly, they reiterated their commitment by applying and transferring the skills in their various health facilities. The participants were then given certificates of participation.
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