
Global Health and the Overseas Development and Education Committee (ODEC)
The ASA has been proudly supporting Global Health initiatives since the early 1980s, with a minimum of $3 per member being used to support anaesthesia education and capacity building in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Projects are overseen by the Overseas Development and Education Committee (ODEC).
International Engagement
ASA is a national body with an international perspective.
International involvement is critical to the ASA. Its engagement with other societies from around the world is a most important aspect of its work. It values greatly its long-standing membership of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists, so much so that it hosted the world congress in Sydney in 1996.
ASA is a founding member of the Common Issues Group, which is an international coalition of the Societies of Great Britain and Ireland, the United States, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. This group meet annually and look to address anaesthetic issues from their parts of the world.
Closer to home the work of the Overseas Development and Education Committee (ODEC) provides a very practical interface with the Asia/Pacific region, where the Society offers support and education within the countries in the region.
Several opportunities exist for anaesthetists interested in supporting global health via the ASA:
- East Timor Fellowship supports an ASA member to assist training of East Timor anaesthesia non-specialists at the Hospital Nacional Guido Valdares (HNGV) in Dili, East Timor
- Sereima Bale Pacific Fellowship supports an ASA member to assist training of Pacific Trainee anaesthetists at the Fiji National University in Suva, Fiji.
- Real World Anaesthesia Course (RWAC). A 5-day course that aims to prepare anaesthetists for work in low- and middle-income countries (“the real world”) and various humanitarian aid situations.
On an ad hoc basis, anaesthetists may be able to join a number of ongoing projects that are supported by the ASA and are conducted in conjunction with:
- Laos Society of Anaesthesiologists
- Micronesian Anaesthesia Society
- Mongolian Society of Anesthesiologists
- Myanmar Society of Anaesthesiologists
- Pacific Society of Anaesthetists
- Société Cambodgienne d’Anesthésie de Réanimation et Médecine Urgence
- Solomon Islands Anaesthetic Training Centre (SIATC)
International engagement
ASA is a national body with an international perspective.
International involvement is critical to the ASA. Its engagement with other societies from around the world is a most important aspect of its work. It values greatly its long-standing membership of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists, so much so that it hosted the world congress in Sydney in 1996.
ASA is a founding member of the Common Issues Group, which is an international coalition of the Societies of Great Britain and Ireland, the United States, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. This group meet annually and look to address anaesthetic issues from their parts of the world.
Closer to home the work of the Overseas Development and Education Committee (ODEC) provides a very practical interface with the Asia/Pacific region, where the Society offers support and education within the countries in the region.
The ASA is a founding member of WFSA and fund raises for Lifebox.
The ASA has been a major supporter of Lifebox over many years as part of its overseas aid work. The Australasian Lifebox Committee is made up of ASA, ANZCA, and the NZSA – funds are allocated to the Asia-Pacific region. Dr Suzi Nou, a member of the ODEC, represents the ASA on this committee.
To donate to Lifebox, please visit Lifebox Australia and New Zealand.