Pediatric critical care is an important component of reducing morbidity and mortality globally. Currently, pediatric critical care in low middle-income countries (LMICs) remains in its infancy in most hospitals. The majority of hospitals lack designated intensive care units, healthcare staff trained to care for critically ill children, adequate numbers of staff, and rapid access to necessary medications, supplies and equipment. In addition, most LMICs lack pediatric critical care training programs for healthcare providers or certification procedures to accredit healthcare providers working in their pediatric intensive care units (PICU) and high dependency areas. PICU can improve the quality of pediatric care in general and, if properly organized, can effectively treat the severe complications of high burden diseases, such as diarrhea, severe malaria, and respiratory distress using low-cost interventions. Setting up a PICU in a LMIC setting requires planning, specific resources, and most importantly investment in the nursing and permanent medical staff. A thoughtful approach to developing pediatric critical care services in LMICs starts with fundamental building blocks: training healthcare professionals in skills and knowledge, selecting resource appropriate effective equipment, and having supportive leadership to provide an enabling environment for appropriate care. If these fundamentals can be built on in a sustainable manner, an appropriate critical care service will be established with the potential to significantly decrease pediatric morbidity and mortality in the context of public health goals as we reach toward the sustainable development goals.

The SEAL-bCPAP device is safe for treatment of respiratory distress in non-neonatal children in LMIC. There is a trend toward decreased mortality that should be evaluated with adequately powered clinical trials.

Lack of global health knowledge places immigrants at risk of iatrogenic morbidity. Although global health education programs have grown in popularity, measurable impact is lacking. We previously surveyed 363 physicians in training across 15 programs in four countries in 2004 regarding basic parasite knowledge and recognition of Strongyloides risk through a theoretical case scenario. In 2005, the University of Minnesota implemented a formal global health training program (GHP). In 2009, the identical survey was repeated. Strongyloidiasis recognition increased from 11.1% (19/171) in 2004 to 39.4% (50/127) in 2009 (P < 0.001). Trainees participating in formal didactic and interactive curriculum had superior recognition (77% versus 29%; P < 0.001). In a multivariate model of GHP training activities, participation in an American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene-accredited global health certificate course increased recognition (odds ratio = 9.5, 95% confidence interval = 2.5–36, P = 0.001), whereas participation in international electives alone did not (P = 0.9). A formal GHP curriculum was associated with improved knowledge regarding common parasitic infections and the risk of iatrogenic morbidity and mortality due to strongyloidiasis.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a method of respiratory support used around the world to treat children with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) (WHO, 2016, Oxygen Therapy for Children, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, Report). Bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) is an effective form of CPAP that is currently used in both high- and low-resource countries. Low-cost, modified bCPAP devices have been designed as an ideal form of CPAP in low-resource areas (Bjorklund, A. R., Mpora, B. O., Steiner, M. E., Fischer, G., Davey, C. S., and Slusher, T. M., 2018, “Use of a Modified Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP) Device for Children in Respiratory Distress in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Safety Study,” Paediatr. Int. Child Health, 39(3), pp. 1–8). However, patients in low-resource settings undergoing bCPAP treatment are often given pure oxygen, which has been linked to retinopathy of prematurity, cardiovascular complications, and patient mortality (Rodgers, J. L., Iyer, D., Rodgers, L. E., Vanthenapalli, S., and Panguluri, S. K., 2019, “Impact of Hyperoxia on Cardiac Pathophysiology,” J. Cell. Physiol., 234(8), pp. 1–9; Ramgopal, S., Dezfulian, C., Hickey, R. W., Au, A. K., Venkataraman, S., Clark, R. S. B., and Horvat, C. M., 2019, “Association of Severe Hyperoxemia Events and Mortality Among Patients Admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit,” JAMA Network Open, 2(8), p. e199812). This problem is typically avoided by using commercial oxygen blenders, which can titrate down the concentration of oxygen delivered to the minimum needed; however, these blenders can cost nearly 1000 USD and are almost always unavailable in low-resource settings. The lack of available low-cost oxygen blenders compatible with modified bCPAP circuits creates a barrier for low-resource hospitals to be able to provide blended oxygen to patients. There is a need for a low-cost oxygen blender for use in low-resource settings. We propose a passive oxygen blender that operates via entrainment of atmospheric air. The device can easily be assembled in low-resource areas using a 22 gauge hypodermic needle, two 3 cc syringes, tape or super glue, and the materials required for bCPAP—for approximately 1.40 USD per device. The blender has not been clinically tested yet, but can achieve oxygen concentrations as low as 60% with bCPAP levels of 5 cm H2O (490 Pa) when used in a standard bCPAP circuit without a patient.