Supporting Anesthesia Training at Ayder Hospital
Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Mekelle, Tigray Region, is a tertiary referral hospital affiliated with Mekelle University and serves as the main referral center for a catchment area of more than ten million people. With Mekelle itself home to around one million inhabitants, Ayder plays a central role in the provision of specialized medical care in northern Ethiopia.
Within the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, approximately 10.000 general anesthetic procedures are performed each year, covering a wide range of surgical, diagnostic, and interventional services. The department is led by Dr. Fekrey Berhe, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, and is staffed by eight physician anesthesiologists and 28 non-physician anesthesia professionals (B.Sc. and M.Sc. level). Clinical work is carried out across six main operating theatres, as well as two dedicated plastic surgery and two gynecology/obstetric theatres. In addition to service delivery, the department plays a major educational role, training large numbers of medical students, interns, and residents each year.
In response to a locally identified need, mates4health supported the department through the donation of two modern video laryngoscopes to strengthen both clinical care and training capacity. The devices were formally handed over in December 2025 by Prof. Haas to Dr. Gebrehans Kidu, representing the Head of Department.
The donation was made possible through the personal engagement of Dr. Silke Haas, anesthesiologist and founding member of mates4health, who had previously worked alongside the anesthesia team at Ayder Hospital. During her time on site, she experienced first-hand the clinical and educational challenges related to airway management and recognized the potential added value of video laryngoscopy for both difficult airway situations and the training of young professionals. When the opportunity arose to transfer two devices that were available at her home institution in Munich, Germany, she initiated and organized their donation and transport in close coordination with colleagues in Mekelle.
A project based in Ethiopia
The video laryngoscopes were received with great appreciation by the local team. Dr. Gebrehans Kidu emphasized that the devices will support safer airway management in challenging situations while significantly enhancing hands-on training opportunities. Prof. Abraha Gebreegziabher, Medical Director of Ayder Hospital, underlined the importance of high-quality training tools for improving patient care, professional confidence, and the overall quality of anesthesia services.
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This initiative reflects mates4health’s commitment to supporting locally defined priorities, strengthening existing expertise, and fostering long-term partnerships based on mutual respect, trust, and shared responsibility.
Acknowlegments
This milestone would not have been possible without the dedication of:
- Dr. Silke Haas, mates4health for her personal engagement, for initiating and organizing the donation of the laryngoscopes.
- Prof. Nikolaus Haas and Dr. Isabel Roschatt, for personally handing over the equipment and for supporting this partnership on behalf of mates4health.
- Dr. Fekrey Berhe, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care and Head of the Department at Ayder Hospital, for his leadership, openness, and continuous commitment to high-quality anesthesia care and training.
- Dr. Gebrehans Kidu, for representing the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care during the visit and for his dedication to strengthening clinical practice and education at Ayder Hospital.
- Prof. Abraha Gebreegziabher, Medical Director of Ayder Hospital, for his support of this initiative and for emphasizing the importance of training and professional development in improving patient care.
- The anesthesia and critical care team at Ayder Hospital, for their daily commitment to patient care, teaching, and collaboration, and for their openness to shared learning and partnership.
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At mates4health, we place strong emphasis on personal commitment and local ownership. We encourage partners to first identify a locally relevant need, then develop a solution rooted in local capacities and initiative, and finally translate this idea into a project proposal. Our role is to support motivated partners in implementing well-founded ideas – not to define projects based on available funding alone.
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