POETIC-Africa: Provision of Essential Treatment in Critical Illness in Africa - Phase 1
Phase 1: ACIOS - African Critical Illness Outcomes Study
Exploring the vital links between critical illness, the provision of essential care and mortality rates in Africa
The lack of critical care is an important driver of deaths following surgery. Critical illness, most commonly due to haemorrhage and infection (sepsis), affects between 30-45 million adults globally each year, more than half of who are surgical patients.
The aim of this project is to investigate the essential care of critical illness in hospitals in Africa.
EECC
Numbers Speak For Themselves
We will conduct the ACIOS study, a quantitative observational study of critical illness in 200 hospitals across Africa. With methods previously used in the APORG network, a rapid, efficient point-prevalence assessment will be carried out of all adult patients admitted to the hospitals. Local staff in each hospital will complete data collection on a single-day and then follow-up included patients for 7-days within a three-month study window. We will determine the proportion of hospital patients who are critically ill; the mortality associated with critical illness; the proportion of critically ill patients who receive Essential Emergency and Critical Care (EECC); the relationship between EECC provision and mortality; and the availability of resources in hospitals for EECC.
Progress
- We have started/ completed recruitment in 10 countries: Botswana, Burkino Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Namibia, Nigeria, Somaliland, South Africa, Sudan, and Tunisia
- We are planning to start the trial in Gambia, Ghana, Lesotho, Morocco, Somalia, and Uganda in November
- We are awaiting approvals in around 10 more countries including Cameroon, Congo, DRC, Mali, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe
- With regards to hospitals, we have started/ completed recruitment in 39 hospitals
- There are 70 hospitals expected to start in November
