The training was jointly organised by UGMC-MTSC, the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), the Ghana Anaesthesiologists Society (GAS), together with international collaborators including the teams from Vital Anaesthesia Simulation Training (VAST) and the Simulation for Paediatric Anaesthesia Crisis Training (SimPACT) – also known as Managing Emergencies in Paediatric Anaesthesia (MEPA). This initiative aims not only to introduce cutting-edge training methods but also to reinforce Ghana’s commitment to reducing surgical complications and improving maternal and child healthcare.

Held from 17th to 23rd May 2025, the week-long programme marked the country’s first comprehensive collaboration between local institutions and global simulation education leaders to strengthen anaesthesia, perioperative care, obstetric care and crisis response, particularly for paediatric and obstetric patients. The simulation-based training brought together 76 health professionals, including anaesthesiologists, obstetricians, paediatric surgeons, nurses, midwives, critical and peri-operative care nurses, simulation coordinators and simulation technicians from across Ghana and beyond.

The SIMposium consisted of three core components: the VAST Facilitator Course (FC), the VAST Course (VC), and the SimPACT/MEPA Courses, all of which are globally recognised for their immersive, simulation-driven approach to clinical education. The MTSC team, the VAST Course Director, Course Coordinators and International facilitators spent the first 2 days (17th and 18th May) setting up the Simulation Centre and resources for the program. From 19th to 21st May, a select group of facilitator trainees underwent the 3-day VAST Facilitator Course (ToT), conducted by nine (9) international instructors from Canada, Chile, Ethiopia, Australia, Tanzania, South Africa and Ghana. This is a critical step in ensuring the sustainability of simulation training in Ghana. The 19 FC graduates were then supervised to deliver the VC and SimPACT courses and will serve as mentors and future instructors, laying the foundation for a locally driven, self-sustaining simulation education model in Ghana and West Africa.

The 2-day VAST Course (VC) took place on the 22nd and 23rd May and focused on core elements of safe anaesthesia, obstetric and perioperative care, and how to handle pregnant women who report to the hospital with complications, with an emphasis on non-technical skills such as teamwork, communication, situational awareness, and clinical decision-making. Using case-based simulations in obstetrics, trauma, and surgical care, the course empowered participants to respond systematically and confidently in high-risk scenarios.

The second participants' training – the 1-day SimPACT (MEPA) Course – conducted for two cohorts on 22nd and 23rd May, provided anaesthesiologists, paediatric surgeons and perioperative staff with expert-led peer-reviewed simulation-based training. These sessions, derived from international best practices, covered emergency management in paediatric anaesthesia and the resuscitation of critically ill children, where timely intervention has been found to significantly improve outcomes. 
Trainees also discussed targeted situations such as trauma, asphyxia, acute care resuscitation, and pain management using case scenarios and debriefing with good judgment strategies.

Representatives of twelve (12) healthcare institutions across Ghana, including the University of Ghana Medical Centre, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, 37 Military Hospital, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, University of Allied Health Sciences, Police Hospital, FOCOS Specialist Hospital, International Maritime Hospital and Eastern Regional Hospital, participated in the training programme. Faculty from the Ghana College of Physicians & Surgeons, GAS and UGMS were also present to observe and support this national effort to integrate simulation into postgraduate medical education.

The participants expressed excitement and gratitude about learning to be better facilitators, improving upon their simulation skills, and building long-term capacity in their institutions.
They also noted that the competencies acquired will enhance collaboration and effective teamwork among the multiple-disciplinary team of health workers in their facilities; sharpen their crisis management skills and elevate patient care standards, especially in high-stakes paediatric and obstetric settings. “We have learned from each other, grown our skills, and taken the first step towards a national simulation network,” the Head of Training of the UGMC-MTSC, Mrs. Aisha Asante, stated. 

“We are indeed eternally grateful to all you wonderful people who took time off your busy schedules to come to Ghana and deliver such selfless and amazing coaching and mentoring. You have set into motion a chain reaction which will touch many more lives, and we will never forget your kind gesture," said  Dr. Jerry Coleman, who is a  Consultant Obstetrician and FC participant from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Speaking about recommendations on future directions,  Dr Rodrigo Barreda Lopez who was the Ghana VAST/SimPACT 2025 Course Director who came from Chile, stated that the MTSC team at UGMC are unique in terms of their motivation, commitment, and great potential and suggested that they are closely monitored and supported for their future progress so far as the implementation of more VAST training programmes was concerned.

Dr. Lopez added that the SimPACT team had significant experience in simulation, as well as an extensive network of contacts in Africa, and they also now had some familiarity with the VAST methodology.

He therefore expressed the desire to maintain contact with the Team to explore possible new opportunities for collaboration and for the benefit of both programmes.

 Dr. Rebecca Gray, who was the SimPACT Lead Instructor and Paediatric Anaesthetist from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, in an interview,  expressed her gratitude to the whole team.

According to the Director of the UGMC-MTSC, Dr. Christian Owoo, “The Ghana VAST/SimPACT SIMposium is more than a one-time event; it is a catalyst for a broader transformation, and has set the stage for developing simulation-based education across all levels of our health system; integrating simulation into medical and nursing curricula and fostering a culture of safety and continuous learning in Ghana’s healthcare system.”