Anesthetic equipment, facilities and services available for pediatric anesthesia in Nigeria

Facilities and equipment are known to contribute to improved patient care and outcome. Hospitals for sub-specialized pediatric anesthetic service are routinely available worldwide. In Nigeria, such hospitals now exist. It is therefore relevant to study the facilities and equipment available for pediatric anesthetic service to measure the quality of care in a health institution.

A prospective study of the anesthetic equipment, facilities and services available for pediatric anesthesia was carried out in Nigerian hospitals using anonymously administered questionnaires from October, 2008 to October, 2009, after relevant ethics approval.

Ten of the 30 hospitals studied had intensive care unit facilities (33.3%) and only three of them had organized ambulatory anesthesia units for pediatric patients (10%). Facilities available for pediatric anesthetic care were service delivery oriented and not information technology based (automated anesthesia information management services - AIMS). A quarter of the hospitals studied (7) had their facilities and equipment updated recently. Also, there were no reception rooms nor post anesthetic care units specifically designed for pediatric patients. Equipment for acute pain service such as infusion pumps and patient controlled analgesia pumps (PCA pumps) and for capnography were found in only two hospitals (6.6%) at the time of the study. The anesthetic equipment used did not conform to the same standards (98%) even in the same hospital. Also, the use of disposable anesthetic equipment was low.

We conclude that anesthetic services for pediatric patients should be based on the use of automated anesthesia information technology service. Anesthetic equipment should conform to the same standards and should be computerized. Disposable anesthetic equipment should also be used where applicable to minimize the incidence of nosocomial infections. This would result in improved peri-operative care in pediatric patients.