The focus of the 8^th Annual KRNA conference was on the Principles and Perspectives on Pediatric Anesthesia and Pain Management. This event provides anesthesia providers and primarily, the Kenya Registered Nurse Anesthetists (KRNA), with an opportunity for a rich Continuous Medical Education experience. With a mix of both local and international faculty, the KRNA conference has provides a mix of both classroom and practical learning. Since 2014, simulation based training has been a part of the KRNA conference experience. This year, the simulation based training focus was on managing pediatric emergencies and neonatal resuscitation.

Simulation training is becoming an important part of healthcare training. It is of great importance and in future, I hope we can use simulation training to further to strengthen quality anesthesia care on our continent

Steve Thuo, Simulation Training Facilitator, Kijabe Hospital

Introduced this year were panel sessions that gave the delegates an opportunity to share real time experience on certain topics including management of pediatric syndromes and airway management for pediatrics. The delegates also had an opportunity to listen to a rich mix of lectures on various topics ranging from fluid management, airway management, protecting brain development and multimodal perioperative pain management among others. The delegates also had the chance to present cases that created a forum for problem based learning discussion.

This year’s event was made possible through funding from our partners that included Africa Mission Healthcare and Abbvie. The support they provide allow the planning committee subsidize the cost of the conference. This year’s event was attended by almost 100 anesthesia providers from across Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Our key speakers came from various institutions including Kijabe Hospital, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and University of Nairobi. We thank all the individuals and institutions that made this conference a success and look forward to continued partnership as we seek to ensure safe (and pain free) surgery and anesthesia for all.