Development of Intensive Care in Low-Resource Regions

Abstract

Since their introduction almost a century ago, intensive care units have become an essential part of the health care system. Although the majority are found in the high-income countries, access to intensive care in the low-income countries has improved. The purpose of this review is to report on the current state of intensive care in resource-limited settings. Lack of basic health care resources still poses a specific challenge to the development and sustainability of health care. In addition, adequate funding, human resource training, and equipment specific to the specialty of critical care pose an even larger setback to the development of critical care in low-resource-limited settings. Deaths potentially preventable with access to critical care as presented by data from the global disease burden analysis in 2004 are approximately 70% of all recorded deaths in low-income countries. This reflects the large burden of critical illness in low-income countries. Efforts to increase access to hospitals and intensive care for all critically ill patients should grow to match these needs.