The Middle East And Africa Are Lagging Behind In The Anesthesia And Respiratory Devices Market

The anesthesia and respiratory devices market was the smallest in the Middle East and Africa in 2018, accounting for 2.6% and 1.6% of the total share respectively. Africa was the smallest region accounting for $0.3 billion of the total $20.7 billion worth anesthesia and respiratory devices market. The smallest market size of Africa can be attributed to the poor healthcare infrastructure, unstable political environment, and limited manufacturing capabilities in the region. In the Middle East, the market size was mainly restrained by the small patient pool in the region and political instability in countries such as Syria and Iraq. The largest region in the global anesthesia and respiratory devices market was North America, accounting for nearly half the total market share in 2018.

Most patients in Saudi Arabia are dissatisfied with anesthetic care. In 2018, a survey was conducted about patient satisfaction and experiences with pre- and post-operative anesthesia in Saudi Arabia. Out of the sample size of three hundred patients, nearly 57% of respondents were dissatisfied with the anesthetic care. About 36% of patients suffered from extreme nausea and vomiting and nearly 32% faced poor pain control. The survey also stated that the type of anesthesia used during the surgical process, informative visits by the anesthesiologists to the patients, and the control of postoperative symptoms were the most important factors for patients’ satisfaction.

In Egypt, it was found that physicians and nurses lack knowledge about anesthetic contamination and disposal. In 2018, a cross-sectional study was conducted by the faculty of medicine of Zagazig University and Fayoum University, Egypt, in two university hospitals in Egypt, to understand the process of infection control and device contamination in anesthetic practices. The study had a sample size of 170 respondents (80 anesthesiologists and 90 nurses). According to the study, more than 85% of the physicians did not receive any training on infection control for anesthesia. Furthermore, only 10% of respondent nurses recognized the recommended way of cleaning and storing anesthesia devices as the required method. Over 80% of respondents considered the cleaning and storing of uncovered laryngoscope on the crash trolley acceptable.

The study also performed a sanitation test on 44 laryngoscopy samples from the two universities. Among the tested samples, 20 (46%) were positive for occult blood, blood that is very hazardous to the patients as it carries the risks of transmission of blood borne pathogens such as Hepatitis C (HCV) and Hepatitis B (HBV).