Intensive care in paradise--a review of 57 ventilated patients in ICU in Vanuatu over five years

Intensive care is not a medical priority for developing nations. Vila Central Hospital is the major referral centre for the developing Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and runs an 'as-needed' intensive care service. Between January 1999 and January 2004, fifty-seven patients were ventilated at Vila Central Hospital. Twenty-two patients survived and 35 died. Eleven patients were declared brain dead, eight died from renal failure, six from overwhelming respiratory failure, three from sepsis, four due to equipment or technical failure, two of unknown causes and one died after transfer to Australia. The patient age range extended from newborns to 80 years. Survivors were ventilated for durations of four hours, (postoperative), to 14.5 days, (ARDS), the median being two days.