The Copperbelt Province of Zambia has 0.25 physician anaesthetists per 100,000 population.  By comparision the UK has 18 physician anaesthetists per 100,000.  This lack of physician anaesthetists means a lack of specialist care for the most unwell patients requiring surgery.

The Copperbelt Province has a young population, but their health needs are high, with many emergency surgeries required for children, pregnant women and a high rate of young people experiencing life-threatening trauma; these groups need excellent anaesthetic and surgical care.

Since 2012, we have been running a high quality training programme in Lusaka, Zambia, modelled on the UK anaesthesia training programme.  This programme has had a great impact producing 23 specialist physician anaesthesists to date, with a further 11 in training.

In January 2019 we will welcome our first anaesthesia trainees to Ndola, in the Copperbelt Province.  Having a training programme in the Copperbelt means that the people of Northern Zambia will have access to safer anaesthesia, something they so desperately need.

To train to a high standard the teaching faculty will require our support- in the form of the presence of volunteer teaching fellows, support from our in-country Consultant, and the renovation of a multi-purpose learning space to include facilities for simulation, video-conferencing and with computers for sharing our technology-based learning modules.

Help us to reach our target of £30,000 to make this happen. Perhaps you might consider making a donation instead of sending Christmas cards this year, and let your friends and family know that you are contributing to safe anaesthesia in Zambia instead.