Pioneering Emergency Medicine in Tanzania

Just a decade ago, emergency medicine did not exist in Tanzania. Patients waited hours for the most basic life-saving care.

Today, East Africa’s first-ever emergency room and emergency medicine residency training program save thousands of lives, every year.

Abbott and the Abbott Fund worked closely with the Government of Tanzania to create a modern Emergency Medicine Department, and equipped it with modern technology and supplies. But beyond infrastructure, a primary focus has been to empower a new generation of physicians, nurses and staff trained in providing best-in-class emergency care. These efforts have saved lives—the mortality rate at the hospital decreased by 40 percent—and produced a sustainable model that advances global health and development by partnering not only with institutions, but also with people.

One of these extraordinary people is Dr. George. Today's she's one of the first women doctors in the new ER. And far from the last. To see more of her story, see the full video here. To learn more about the partnership in Tanzania, click here.