Improving access to emergency medical care in Cantón Taisha, Amazonian Ecuador

The focus of a joint project involving University Hospital Frankfurt and the Hospital Básico San José de Taisha is on improving access to emergency medical services in Ecuador’s Amazon region. The project partners plan to provide training for hospital staff in emergency medicine.

Background:
Taisha Canton in Ecuador’s Amazon region is known for its prevalence of neglected tropical diseases, malaria, poisonous snake bite and scorpion stings, and rabies. The Hospital Básico San José de Taisha is the only hospital that offers care for the residents of this canton, most of whom are indigenous people, but it has very little capacity for providing emergency medical services. As well as medical equipment and drugs, the hospital needs expertise on how to treat COVID-19 and other emergency patients.

Activities:
- Procuring and setting up equipment, antivenoms and training material
- Starting to use the new emergency treatment area
- Running a six-day intensive course on anaesthesia and emergency medicine
- Drawing up training plans for paramedics and medical staff
- Running a three-day intensive course focusing on poisonous snake bite and scorpion stings

Impact:
The training to be provided is designed to enable the hospital staff to provide care in emergency medical cases without having to refer patients to other hospitals.