Nov 25 • SURGhub Team

Strengthening Emergency Care Capacity in Zambia through GECS Led Training

More than sixty emergency care professionals at Solwezi General Hospital benefited from a week of intensive clinical skills training delivered by Global Emergency Care Skills (GECS). The initiative supported emergency and critical care development in Zambia’s Northwestern Province and highlighted the growing need for accessible high quality training resources, a need that is increasingly met through platforms such as SURGhub.
 SURGhub is a joint initiative of
 Supported by
In association with
Global Surgery Foundation
United Nations Institute for Training and Research
RCSI Institute for Global Surgery
Johnson & Johnson Foundation

Comprehensive Training Programme in Solwezi

Global Emergency Care Skills (GECS), an award winning Irish NGO, delivered a demand led trauma, acute care and ultrasound training programme for colleagues at Solwezi General Hospital from November 3 to 7, 2025. The course design followed planning discussions with the local hospital and provincial health board and combined practical skills stations, simulations and small group discussions to enhance clinical competence in emergency and critical care.

Participants advanced their skills in areas that included primary and secondary surveys, airway management, trauma and medical simulations, advanced cardiac life support, paediatric and obstetric emergencies and major incident planning. Faculty members from Malawi, Nigeria, Australia and Ireland, led by Dr Roy McKenna and Dr Anna O’Leary, facilitated hands on instruction with a strong focus on active engagement, teamwork and evidence based practice.

Building Local Training Capacity

The week concluded with a Train the Trainer session and a large scale simulation exercise. Certificates were awarded to recognise participant achievement and commitment to improving emergency care delivery in the region. GECS also supplied a new ultrasound machine to the Emergency Care team at Solwezi General Hospital.
Emergency care staff at Solwezi General Hospital using the new ultrasound machine supplied by GECS during the 2025 training programme.

Growing Demand for High Quality Training

The high attendance at the GECS course reflects strong interest among health workers in further training opportunities that strengthen their ability to deliver high quality emergency care. This need remains significant across many regions and highlights the value of both in person skills development and accessible digital learning resources.

Supporting Ongoing Learning with SURGhub

With GECS delivering this intensive week of hands on emergency care training in Solwezi, SURGhub offers a way to maintain momentum through accessible online courses and reference materials. This allows participants to revisit key concepts, deepen their understanding and continue building skills long after the on site programme concludes.

For more information contact the Chair of SURGhub's Project Scope Committee, Prof. Jean O'Sullivan at josullivan@rcsi.ie.
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SURGhub is an initiative of the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), supported by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and in association with the Johnson & Johnson Foundation.

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