Masters of Science in Paramedics

SPHMMC-AaBET Hospital started Paramedics Program

Ethiopia is one of the largest populated countries with over 110 million populations in sub-Saharan Africa. There is increased population growth, an increase in non-communicable and communicable diseases, and a high burden of road traffic injury and construction-related injuries.  In one community-based study done from 2006 to 2009 in Addis Ababa, cardiovascular diseases accounted for 24% of deaths. Although there has been a significant reduction in pregnancy-related mortality, non-communicable diseases like heart disease and stroke are increasing. In postmortem examination of sudden deaths in Addis Ababa, 52% of the individuals died from natural causes and 48% died from injury-related events. Road traffic injury (RTI) was the most common cause of accidental death (80%), and no pre-hospital care was received. Road traffic injury is steadily increasing and is disproportionately affecting the economically active groups (i.e. those 15–59 years of age).

 

The aim of prehospital care is to reduce death and disability for those experiencing life or limb-threatening conditions in the prehospital environment and to transport patients to the most appropriate health facility for further management. The concept of practicing Emergency Services as a unique discipline in Ethiopia is a recent phenomenon that began 10 years ago. However, the Emergency services are only focused at the hospital level and with no organized prehospital care.

 

In the past 10 years, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) has introduced an effort to improve the EMS systems in Ethiopia. Efforts include the distribution of ambulances to all regions, providing at least one ambulance per district (Woreda). Despite the aforementioned efforts from FMOH to improve prehospital care, the prehospital services are compromised due to an absence of trained paramedic professionals, poor coordination between the prehospital services and in-hospital services and poorly equipped ambulances.

 

Response time, availability, and training of pre-hospital providers, available resources, and the appropriateness of calls contribute to the overall quality of pre-hospital care. Pre-hospital Care by formally-trained personnel and transport by equipped ambulances has advantages in certain time-sensitive and high-acuity scenarios.