Publications by authors named "Ignace Kabagema"

Objective: Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in children older than 1 year and disproportionately affects pediatric patients in low- and middle-income countries.Improved prehospital care capacity has demonstrated the ability to improve care and save lives. Our collaboration developed and implemented a sustainable prehospital emergency pediatrics care course (EPCC) for Service d'Aide Medicale Urgente, the public emergency medical service in Rwanda.

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Background: Surgical capacity building has gained substantial momentum. However, care at the hospital level depends on improved access to emergency services. There is no established model for facilitating trauma and EMS system capacity in LMIC settings.

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Background: Injuries are a leading cause of death and disability globally. Over 90% of injury-related mortality happens in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). Rwanda's pre-hospital emergency system - Service d'Aide Medicale Urgente (SAMU) - and their partners created an electronic pre-hospital registry and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) project in 2014.

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Introduction: Every year, >5 million people worldwide die from trauma. In Kigali, Rwanda, 50% of prehospital care provided by SAMU, the public prehospital system, is for trauma. Our collaboration developed and implemented a context-specific, prehospital Emergency Trauma Care Course (ETCC) and train-the-trainers program for SAMU, based on established international best practices.

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Objective: To improve maternal mortality rates, our collaboration developed and implemented a context-specific, prehospital Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Course (EONC) and train-the-trainers program in Rwanda.

Methods: Two cohorts of staff participated in the program-the SAMU emergency medical service and staff from district hospitals. A 2-day course was developed, consisting of skills stations, simulations, and didactics.

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Objectives: Access to effective emergent care would prevent 45% of all deaths in LMICs, however, trauma and emergency care remain largely neglected. Our collaboration in Rwanda to build prehospital trauma care led us to create a research mentorship program to enhance the ability of the local team to evaluate their system.

Methods: NIH grant funding had been previously obtained to establish standards for prehospital trauma care in Rwanda and build local research capacity.

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Introduction: Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are an important cause of mortality and disability around the world. Early intervention and stabilization are necessary to obtain optimal outcomes, yet little is written on the topic in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim is to provide a descriptive analysis of patients with TBI treated by Service d'Aide Medicale Urgente (SAMU), the prehospital ambulance service in Kigali, Rwanda.

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Introduction: Paediatric injuries are a major cause of mortality and disability worldwide, yet little information exists regarding its epidemiology or prehospital management in low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to describe the paediatric injuries seen and managed by the prehospital ambulance service, Service d'Aide Medicale d'Urgence (SAMU), in Kigali, Rwanda over more than 3 years.

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive analysis was conducted of all injured children managed by SAMU in the prehospital setting between December 2012 and April 2016.

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Introduction: Injury is a major cause of premature death and disability in East Africa, and high-quality pre-hospital care is essential for optimal trauma outcomes. The Rwandan pre-hospital emergency care service (SAMU) uses an electronic database to evaluate and optimize pre-hospital care through a continuous quality improvement programme (CQIP), beginning March 2014.

Materials And Methods: The SAMU database was used to assess pre-hospital quality metrics including supplementary oxygen for hypoxia (O2), intravenous fluids for hypotension (IVF), cervical collar placement for head injuries (c-collar), and either splinting (splint) or administration of pain medications (pain) for long bone fractures.

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Article Synopsis
  • Injuries contribute to 9.6% of global deaths, with a significant impact on low- and middle-income countries, prompting Rwanda to develop the SAMU prehospital service and an emergency medicine training program to enhance trauma care.
  • A retrospective study at Kigali's University Teaching Hospital analyzed data from 1668 trauma patients transported by SAMU from 2012 to 2015, focusing on patient demographics, injury details, healthcare utilization, and outcomes.
  • Results revealed that most patients were young males involved in motor vehicle accidents, with 78.1% requiring surgery and a mortality rate of 5.5%, highlighting the need for improved trauma care in such settings.
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Unlabelled: Introduction Injury is responsible for nearly five million annual deaths worldwide, and nearly 90% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Reliable clinical data detailing the epidemiology of injury are necessary for improved care delivery, but they are lacking in these regions.

Methods: A retrospective review of the Service d'Aide Medicale Urgente (SAMU; Kigali, Rwanda) prehospital database for patients with traumatic injury-related conditions from December 2012 through November 2014 was conducted.

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