Why IFEM is needed

Millions of avoidable deaths and over one third of disability in low and middle-income countries could be mitigated by the implementation of effective emergency care systems.

Both access to, and the quality of, emergency medical care is fundamental, and there is increasing awareness that current poor quality care is a big barrier to reducing mortality. Many countries still have no, or very basic, pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency care. This means that people suffer unnecessarily devastating impacts from road traffic crashes, workplace injury, common infections, heart attacks, stroke and other conditions that could be quickly and effectively treated in countries with effective emergency systems.

As a result, millions of people, including children and young adults in the prime of life, suffer death or permanent disability. Many who survive are no longer able to work and live a fulfilling and productive life with devastating impacts on their own wellbeing, their economic future, and that of their family and community.

The need for robust emergency care systems and specialty trained emergency physicians has never been more apparent than currently in the COVID-19 pandemic, where emergency departments and emergency care teams are at the forefront, providing care for patients despite exhaustion, personal risk of infection, overwhelmed health systems, and inadequate resources.