IASP Pain Camps are interprofessional residential educational events aimed at promoting interdisciplinary pain management by improving the knowledge and skills of young healthcare professionals in low- and middle-income countries.
The first IASP African Pain Camp was held from 21 to 26 February in Nairobi, Kenya, and hosted 29 aspiring healthcare professionals from eight African countries. Organized by IASP members living and working in Africa, a faculty of 18 multidisciplinary experts helped these attendees develop new pain management knowledge and skills.
With a deep understanding of local knowledge and customs across the continent, organizers developed a program focused on the real burden of pain and disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. International collaboration with IASP President-Elect Mary Cardosa and other South East Asian Regional Pain Society (SARPS) pain camp veterans provided organizers further insights to build a comprehensive inaugural program addressing:
- The basics of pain physiology and how to assess pain comprehensively, including using appropriate tools and techniques for evaluating pain intensity, location, quality, and impact on the patient’s life.
- Multimodal pain management strategies and principles of various pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches for pain management, including medications, nerve blocks, physical therapy, psychological interventions, and complementary therapies.
- Recognition and management of acute and chronic pain, including assessment, diagnosis, and management over the long term, with a focus on improving function and quality of life.
- The safe use of opioid medications for pain management, including strategies to minimize the risk of opioid-related harm, such as opioid misuse, dependence, and overdose.
- The importance of teamwork and collaboration in pain management.
- Safe prescribing of analgesics and adjuvant drugs
- Communicating how to develop therapeutic relationships and holistic treatment plans.
- The non-pharmacological treatment skills of breathing, magic glove, graded motor imagery, sleep hygiene, distraction, relaxation/mindfulness, and activity scheduling.
- Clinical reasoning for pain.
IASP is honored to bring together such dedicated pain professionals to improve their skills and knowledge. A special thank you to the organizers and attendees who made the first African Pain Camp a success.