Anesthesia Health System Capacities in Public Hospitals of Punjab, Pakistan

Area of Science:

• Healthcare systems research
• Anesthesiology
• Public health policy

Background:

• Anesthesia health system capacity is crucial for delivering safe surgical care.
• Public hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan, provide essential surgical services.
• Assessing anesthesia capacity is vital for identifying healthcare gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the anesthesia health system capacity in public hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan.
• To identify deficiencies in infrastructure, workforce, equipment, and medication.
• To inform strategies for improving anesthesia and surgical care.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted in public hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan.
• Data collection occurred between October 2020 and February 2021.
• Capacity was measured across infrastructure, workforce, surgical interventions, information management, equipment, and medication.

Main Results:

• Approximately 40% of hospitals had only one anesthesia provider, with 50% offering 24/7 availability.
• While cesarean sections were common (>90%), general, pediatric, and open fracture surgeries were less frequent (50%).
• Essential medicines for safe anesthesia were not universally available, despite the presence of local and general anesthetic agents.

Conclusions:

• This study reveals significant deficiencies in critical supplies and anesthesia workforce in Punjab's public hospitals.
• The findings underscore a crucial gap in the capacity to provide safe anesthesia and surgery.
• Uneven resource distribution across surveyed facilities was a key observation.