Saving lives through teaching

Canadian and American doctors, led by a surgeon from the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH), lent a helping hand to their African colleagues this fall, teaching trauma resuscitation techniques in children. It was the very first time this specific course was given in Africa, and only the second time outside North America.

Pediatric trauma is a major global challenge, accounting for 35 per cent of child health problems worldwide and the leading cause of death in children over the age of one, collectively outpacing all other causes. Every year, trauma claims the lives of one million children worldwide, 95 per cent of them in low- and middle-income countries. 

Doctors in these countries perform only around a third of the procedures recommended in the guidelines for advanced pediatric trauma care, due to a lack of training in this field.

To address this need, a group of physicians from Canada and the U.S., led by MCH Pediatric Surgeon Dr. Sherif Emil, flew to Nigeria to teach without financial compensation the Trauma Resuscitation in Kids (TRIK) course, currently the premier training activity for pediatric trauma care in North America. The course was held in collaboration with the Association of Pediatric Surgeons of Nigeria and preceded the annual meeting of the Association.

For Dr. Emil, this trip took on a special significance, as the course was held in Ilorin, the town where he spent part of his childhood.

“I lived with my parents as a child in Ilorin when they were two of fewer than 15 doctors for the entire state. This is a continuation of their legacy and a witness to the tree that has grown from the seed they planted,” he confides.

A project that lives on

The two-day simulation course was a resounding success. Twenty-four Nigerian physicians took the course, and six of them have committed to become future course instructors and teach the course to their peers in Nigeria and West Africa, with continued support from their North American colleagues.

“This is a perfect example of how we can democratize surgical education and continue to learn and serve together for the benefit of some of the most vulnerable children in the world,” says Dr. Emil.

The North American professionals will repeat the experience in East and Southern Africa, in collaboration with other African surgical organizations.

This project was made possible by an International Development, Aid and Collaboration grant from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Thank you!