EMS World Expo 2018

Rwanda is a small African country, 1/4 the size of Virginia, that in 1994 suffered a genocide that killed one million of its citizens.  The genocide left the country's healthcare system in shambles, and mortality rates increased sharply.  Visionary government leaders set goals to improve healthcare for all, and in particular, to establish ambulance services throughout the country.  Armed with no formal EMS training, select nurses and nurse anesthetists took to the streets, providing prehospital care to those in need.  In this resource limited environment, these providers had to innovate and improvise.  In January 2018, a team of educators from VCU Health in RIchmond, VA, travelled to Rwanda to teach the country's first formal prehospital trauma course.  Told through real stories, photos and videos, this session will highlight the journey of Rwanda's EMS system and teach us all something about the human potential for resilience and growth.