GOING GLOBAL: FUND MANAGEMENT FOR PANAC 2020

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Kenya Registered Nurse Anesthetists (KRNA) began formal training in Kenya in 2006.  This cadre has proved to be of value in training nurse anesthetists who primarily serve the rural facilities in the country. The success of the program caught the attention of colleagues across our borders, and some have traveled to Kenya to receive the training. South Sudan is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the KRNA training with more than 30 nurses trained as anesthetists in Kijabe College of Health Sciences. This work was supported by Hospital Support Organization (now known as African Mission Healthcare-Kenya or AMH-K). In 2019, AMH-K were the primary sponsors for the 8th Annual KRNA conference.

As the National KRNA chapter plans for the 1st Pan African Nurse Anesthetists Conference (PANAC) in June 2020, the chapter has asked for support from AMH-K in this activity. Given their expertise in management of donor funds, AMH-K will serve as the fund management agency for the PANAC 2020. This arrangement means that all monies received in form of grants, donations, delegate fees, and exhibition fees to support PANAC activities will go to AMH-K’s Special projects accounts. This will allow us flexibility to manage the funds in both US and Kenyan currencies. This will be the first time the KRNA chapter is handling funds from outside the country. We will use this first experience to learn from AMH-K what it takes to manage these resources in a manner that will ensure transparency and accountability. AMH-K will also provide an audit of the funds received and expended thus ensuring we remain accountable to the individuals and institutions that entrust us with resources to run this event.

REGIONAL NURSE ANESTHETISTS CONFERENCE

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A few years ago, the International Federation for Nurse Anesthetists started grappling with the issue of how to get more nurse anesthetists, especially those from Member countries, attend their World Congress. Despite the desire by many nurse anesthetists to take advantage of such global learning events, a number of challenges limit their engagement. These include limited resources to cater for conference costs and travel barriers like visas. To mitigate these challenges, the Executive leadership of IFNA decided to explore the option of holding regional conferences in countries where members come from to allow the those living in that region have the opportunity to attend an international event, closer to home. Africa was chosen to host the first regional IFNA conference.

With support from African delegates attending the IFNA Congresses, Kenya was asked to host the 1st ever regional conference. Dubbed Pan African Nurse Anesthetists Conference or PANAC in short, the event hopes to bring together nurse anesthetists from across the continent to learn, share experience, and shine a spotlight on the role they play in the delivery of safe anesthesia on the continent. The conference is slated for June 11-13th, 2020 in Nairobi City.

This event hopes to have engagement with nurse anesthetists but welcomes all non physician anesthetists and other health workers interested to engage more in driving forward access and delivery of safe anesthesia for all. It is hoped that this event will be form the foundation for strong collaborations that will foster continued learning and support beyond this 3 day event.

For more information on the conference, visit www.panac.africa for the latest updates.