(CAMDEN, NJ) – For the fourth consecutive year, a multidisciplinary team led by physicians from Cooper University Health Care traveled to Africa from October 1 to 10 to provide advanced medical education in critical care. This year’s program expanded the team’s reach into Ethiopia and Tanzania, where the team conducted training sessions.
The initiative, known as AFRI(Crit), was organized by members of Cooper’s Division of Critical Care Medicine, and brought together physicians from Cooper University Health Care, Medstar-Washington Hospital Center, Kaiser Permanente, Geisinger, Thomas Jefferson University, George Washington University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Temple University.
During the two-country visit, the AFRI(Crit) faculty taught a variety of specialized courses designed to strengthen intensive care capacity across East Africa:
- In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the team conducted a Neurocritical Care course and taught Standard Educational Ventilatory Assistance (SEVA), a ventilator management course developed by Cleveland Clinic. This was the first time this program was taught in sub-Saharan Africa. Cleveland Clinic generously granted permission for the team to teach the course free of charge.
- In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the group again taught SEVA, as well as Emergency Neurologic Life Support (ENLS) training.
- Thanks to the foundation built through Cooper’s prior collaborations, Tanzanian physicians were able to independently teach the Fundamentals of Critical Care Support (FCCS) course this year — a major milestone in the program’s goal of sustainable, locally led education.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see how much this initiative has grown in just four years,” said Nitin K. Puri, MD, head of the Division of Critical Care Medicine at Cooper, who spearheaded the project. “Each year, our partnerships deepen, and we see more local leadership and teaching capacity develop. It’s a privilege to collaborate with such dedicated colleagues in Ethiopia and Tanzania to strengthen critical care education.”
The AFRI(Crit) mission builds on the long-standing relationship between Cooper Critical Care and East African health care institutions, including Saifee Hospital, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam and Black Lion and St. Paul Hospital in Adidis Ababa. This outreach program has taught more than 500 physicians new skills in the last four years. The initiative remains entirely self-funded and continues to expand through collaboration, volunteerism, and a shared commitment to improving global critical care training.
About Cooper University Health Care
Cooper University Health Care is a leading academic health system affiliated with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Cooper, headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, has revenues of more than $2.4 billion and an A+ credit rating from both S&P and Fitch Ratings.
Cooper has nearly 14,000 team members, including nearly 1,600 nurses, more than 1,000 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 600 advanced practice providers.
Cooper operates MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper as well as three hospitals – its 663-bed flagship Cooper University Hospital in Camden, its 229-bed Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House, and Children’s Regional Hospital in Camden.
Cooper University Hospital in Camden is the only Level 1 trauma center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. The hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals annual survey for six years.
More than 2.4 million patients visit Cooper’s facilities annually. Cooper’s ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, several urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.
Cooper was named one of America’s Best Large Employers for 2025 by Forbes, ranking among the top 200 in the nation. Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.