ECP Spotlight: Benifer Saves A Life

Last month, a 52 year old woman who had been suffering from ulcers for 4 years developed severe abdominal pain and bloating and went to the Nyakibale Emergency Department in rural Uganda. She was found to barely have a pulse and had a high fever. Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP) trainee, Benifer, immediately recognized the severity of her condition. He started an IV to give her IV fluids and performed a bedside ultrasound which showed fluid indicating a bowel perforation due to her ulcers. He called the surgeon on call, gave the patient pain medication, oxygen and IV antibiotics to stabilize the patient. The woman who was taken to the operating room where she had her bowel repaired, and she recovered well.

Benifer, a first year trainee in the program states, “Personally I have acquired different skills like reducing fractures and approaching the critically sick patient. I have managed to gain more experience from the seniors as far as managing patients are concerned. I appreciate the energy and effort that GECC is putting on so that the course can be recognized by the government of Uganda. We hope in the future that we can grow in our studies, and we promise to continue working with GECC doing emergency medicine.”