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Click HERE to read a recent article published in the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia about this program in Croatia. In September 2005, Kybele hosted a 2 week project in Croatia. Team members originated from 6 countries and included 12 anesthesiologists, an obstetric internist, and a midwife. In the past several years, Kybele has become internationally recognized and multidisciplinary!
Croatia is a country rebuilding from a devastating war in the 1990’s. An effort is underway for reconstruction of war affected areas and the re-establishment of a sustainable modern economy. Several of the hospitals we worked at were still riddled with bullet holes!
We co-hosted the first ever obstetric anesthesia meeting in Croatia and then dispersed to nine different hospitals across the country. Doctors from neighboring Slovenia also heard about the program and requested a visit from a Kybele doctor. We learned that most women in Croatia are not provided ANY pain relief for childbirth and are put to sleep for cesarean section! During our stay we had direct patient care privileges; we demonstrated procedures and guided the local physicians. We interacted with the anesthesiologists, obstetricians, and midwives at our host hospitals, most of whom had never had a visiting professor. Kybele attracted media attention including a TV program, Croatia Today, and a newspaper article, “Into the World Painlessly – International Experts Teach Anesthetists How to Perform Painless Delivery”.  
Following the trip we learned about the very high level of satisfaction and gratitude among the pregnant patients we cared for. For example, one patient, Daria Povh Skugor wrote, “In our hospital the practice is to leave a woman alone during the second stage of the birth. I didn't want to be alone. I was afraid that something may go wrong and nobody would notice. I was also afraid of the pain I am going to feel. After having the epidural, I am convinced that it helped me and eased my baby’s way into this world. It helped me to live the most beautiful event of my life with enough strength to fully enjoy in it. Finally, I was lucky to have the competent and humane anesthesiologist who was there for me, and whom I felt was my sister to be with me and my son there.” (Husbands generally aren’t allowed in the delivery room).
The participating doctors were also grateful for their experiences abroad, for example, Dr Paul Gibson, Calgary, Canada wrote: “Thank you so much for including me. The trip was very satisfying – personally and professionally – and has given me much momentum to make this type of development part of my career as well. You have done an amazing job setting up the support structures for this and are really making a difference. You are a role model and a leader!”
We continue to foster relationships in the hospitals we visited and are encouraged by the impact of our visit. Dr Dragica Kopic, the Croatian organizer, wrote: “I'm in touch with my colleagues at the host hospitals almost every day. We are preparing epidural protocols which will be introduced in all Croatian hospitals. I think that it is very important. It is the first time that anesthesiologists in Croatia work together. Can you image that in Croatia there are no guidelines about any field of anesthesia. I'm trying to change it.
 
We received e-mails from a number of our hosts thanking us and describing their experiences after our visit. For example, “I came today from a hospital in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I have done the first epidural analgesia for labor there. Can you imagine that? Everybody in the hospital was talking about the epidural. That district is very rural, Catholics and Muslims live together and finally any mistake is not allowed. I hope it is only first one of many that will come. Thank you for your time and the book that you gave me, and for all your efforts to bring a little peace of the world to our country.” Mate Perkovic, MD, Split.
Many hospitals improve patient care after a Kybele visit. For example, Dr. Damir Zalac from Zagreb writes, “Your visit to our hospital has left a deep mark. You have inspired many expert discussions by your remarks and suggestions, some of which have already produced results. The procurement of equipment has begun which will render it possible to monitor patients during delivery, operative interventions and postoperative care.” View Photo Gallery |
