Perspective Chapter: Epidural Anaesthesia Service Delivery in Anaesthesia Workforce Constrained Regions

Abstract

Epidural anaesthesia is often under-utilized in our environment. This could be linked to scarcity of specialist anaesthesia providers in anaesthesia workforce constrained regions. To have an effective and safe surgical and obstetric intervention, there is need to have specialist anaesthesia providers that proffer effective leadership in anaesthesia services and delivery of emergency and essential patient care, to help combat the extremely high avoidable anaesthesia-related morbidities and mortalities. Epidural anaesthesia can offer both intraoperative and postoperative analgesia, with the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality. It’s use in labour analgesia has been found to be very effective, with good obstetric outcome. Nevertheless, epidural anaesthesia requires the availability of human, technical and economic resources. But, despite the fact that healthcare is given a strategic priority in the life of people, delivery of safe surgical and non-surgical services is linked to anaesthesia workforce capacity and its impact in the society.