Department's Global Health Team Advances Safe Anesthesia Care in The Gambia With Capnography, Video Laryngoscopy, and National Case Conference
This fall, the Department of Anesthesiology’s Global Health team continued their partnership with anesthesia providers in The Gambia, delivering lifesaving equipment, hands-on education, and opportunities for international collaboration to improve patient safety.
In May 2025, an internal University of Utah Anesthesiology department fundraiser raised enough money to purchase two Lifebox capnographs for Gambian operating rooms. These essential devices monitor a patient’s breathing. The 2 capnographs marked a step toward closing the “capnography gap” as only one-third of operating rooms in The Gambia currently have access to this life-saving technology.
In September, the 2 Lifebox capnographs were implemented in operating rooms at Kanifing General Hospital in Serrekunda and Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
“Capnography is a luxury in The Gambia. Having a capnograph from Lifebox is a game changer,” said Omar Cham, Nurse Anesthetist at Kanifing General Hospital and President of the Anaesthetists' Society of The Gambia. “We used to dream of having equipment like this. The capnograph will give us reliable information to boost our confidence in managing operations and keeping patients safe.”
Alongside the equipment delivery, Anesthesiology faculty Dr. Candace Chang, Dr. Scott Junkins, and Dr. David Dorsey conducted classroom workshops using Lifebox’s capnography education materials. They also taught in the operating room while the capnographs were used for patient care. This ensured not only access to new equipment but also the knowledge and confidence to use it effectively.
The University of Utah faculty also facilitated the 2025 Gambian National Anesthesia review course. The case conference (morbidity and mortality) format featured eight clinical cases presented by Gambian nurse anesthetists from six hospitals throughout the country. Two expert lectures were given by Gambian anesthesiology residents, Dr. Sabina Kangakan and Dr. Ida Senghor, underscoring the growing leadership and expertise within the local anesthesia community.
The visit also included the loan of six video laryngoscopes for advanced airway management across multiple hospitals. The department’s efforts are part of a long-term commitment to sustainable education and system improvement in The Gambia. “Our goal is simple but powerful,” said Dr. Candace Chang, who leads the Department’s Global Health initiatives. “We want to build Gambian anesthesia care capacity to save lives and raise the standard of care. This includes expanding capnography access to every operating room in The Gambia.”
Continuing Collaboration in Utah
In early October, Professor Momodou Mousa Baro from The Gambia visited the University of Utah for a week. He presented a “round-table” discussion about the Gambian health care system and the experience of Utah anesthesiology residents in The Gambia with Dr. Flora Liu, Dr. Sierra Mastrantonio, and Dr. Maegan Tupinio all sharing their insights. The purpose of this session was to teach the medical students moral, ethical, and sustainability issues to consider in global health endeavors.
While September’s visit to The Gambia focused on increasing the safety of general anesthesia, Gambian anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists voiced great interest in ultrasound-guided regional blocks. Because of this, Prof. Baro shadowed the University of Utah’s Regional Anesthesia Acute Pain Medicine service, seeing a dozen ultrasound-guided regional blocks for post-op analgesia. He also participated in this service’s monthly cadaver anatomy ultrasound lab for regional anesthesia blocks, correlating real-time ultrasound images to anatomy.
Other noteworthy clinical experiences for Prof. Baro included practice with POCUS (point-of-care-ultrasound) trans-thoracic echocardiography, following a pediatric patient during his anesthesia care in the Proton Radiation Therapy Suite, and seeing a robotic thoracic surgery case. Continuing his commitment to bringing simulation education to The Gambia, he also participated in a safe sedation course with medical students in the Anesthesiology department’s Center for Patient Simulation.
Finally, Prof. Baro met with various collaborators, including Juan Carlos Negrette and Gustavo da Silva from the University of Utah Global Health Office, as the University of Utah’s global health team develop proposals with our Gambian colleagues to expand our collaboration in the years to come.
These reciprocal visits—Utah faculty supporting training in The Gambia and Gambian providers engaging in professional development in Utah—reflect the program’s focus on sustainable, bi-directional education. Together, they build a future where every surgical patient receives safe, high-quality anesthesia care.