Intraoperative awareness and experience with a ketamine-based anaesthesia package to support emergency and essential surgery when no anaesthetist is available.

Introduction: Five of the 7.2 billion people on earth have limited access to emergency and essential surgical procedures. The lack of safe, affordable and timely anaesthesia services are primary barriers to universal surgical coverage.

Assessment of palliative care services in western Kenya.

Background: The need for palliative care services is rapidly increasing due to the rising number of patients with non-communicable diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the current availability and barriers to palliative care and healthcare worker knowledge and perceptions on palliative pain control in western Kenya.

Methods: An evidence-based 40-question assessment tool was conducted between October 2015 and February 2016 in Siaya County, western Kenya.