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Global Health Committee

About the GHC

The NZSA supports outreach projects through its Global Health Committee (GHC), the Lifebox Project and the Hugh Spencer Education Fund. The GHC is involved in activities and projects to support anaesthesia, including training, in the Pacific. The breadth of the GHC’s work and how you can get involved is outlined in an article published in NZSA’s magazine.

The GHC launched a new initiative in 2020 called PACT (Pacific Anaesthesia Collaborative Training) to help raise funds to support training of anaesthetists in the Pacific. This has had great uptake, and we appreciate all donations made to support PACT.

More about PACT

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GHC Members

Caroline Zhou (Chair)

Petra Linden-Ross

Alan Goodey

Atif Slim

Charlotte Legge

Indu Kapoor

James-Dalby Ball

Laura Davis

Matt Jenks

Michael Kalkoff

Ted Hughes

Wayne Morriss

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2030 Goals for Global Surgery and Anaesthesia

Dr Alan Goodey, member of the NZSA GHC, has written a comprehensive article about the Lancet Commission’s ambitious goals for 2030, which include a minimum of 80% coverage of essential surgical and anaesthesia services per country. A second indicator which is more easily measured but still extremely challenging is 100% of countries having a minimum of 20 SAO (specialist surgeons, specialist obstetricians and specialist anaesthetists/anaesthesiologists) per 100,000 population. Read more on how the NZSA and its members can help to achieve these goals.

Lifebox

Lifebox is a global nonprofit tackling the crisis of unsafe surgery. Through tools, training, and partnerships, Lifebox make surgery and anaesthesia safer worldwide. Founded by the same individuals who created the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, Lifebox has worked in 116 countries, trained more than 14,400 healthcare providers, and made surgery safer for 248 million patients. This work spans improving anesthesia safety – including capnography and pulse oximetry – reducing surgical infection through the Clean Cut program, and strengthening surgical teamwork.

Lifebox Australia and New Zealand (ANZ)

Lifebox ANZ builds on the work of the Lifebox Foundation in the UK and US. It enables supporters in Australia and New Zealand to donate directly to this work, and for hospitals across the region to request pulse oximeters and capnographs and receive support in their use.

The NZSA has supported Lifebox for many years as part of its overseas aid work. The Australasian Lifebox Committee is made up of ANZCA, ASA, and the NZSA – funds are allocated to regions around the world. Dr Caroline Zhou, Chair of the GHC, Chairs the Lifebox ANZ Committee.

Donate to Lifebox ANZ

Pacific Collaboration

The NZSA has a strong and long-standing commitment to supporting overseas anaesthetists in developing countries. Our focus is the Pacific: providing education and training, financial assistance, and resources. We also provide locums to cover lists, which enable Pacific anaesthetists to attend international meetings and refresher courses, as well as take a break when needed. Several NZ anaesthetists have experience working in the Pacific, and further afield, and find it very rewarding.

Volunteer in the Pacific

Every year the Pacific Society of Anaesthetists (PSA) holds a meeting in the Pacific for anaesthetists from across the region (including Australia and NZ) to attend. Working as a locum during the meeting allows our Pacific-based colleagues and trainees to attend this annual meeting, which is often their only opportunity to attend a conference and a great chance to network with fellow Pacific colleagues.

Updates from the Pacific

The NZSA and GHC maintain a close connection with the Pacific Society of Anaesthetists. The Pacific Society of Anaesthetists publishes a quarterly newsletter, PSA Pasifika Pulse, that we share here if you’re interested in reading the latest anaesthesia updates from the Pacific region.

Read the latest issue, March 2025

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Trainee opportunities

Global Health Committee Trainee Grant

Applications are open for the 2026 Grant.

The NZSA GHC offers an annual trainee grant to New Zealand anaesthetic trainees who are members of the NZSA. The grant (NZ $1,000) goes towards paying the costs of attending the Pacific Society of Anaesthetist’s Annual Conference.

To apply, email GHC Chair, Dr Caroline Zhou, with your CV and accompanying letter stating why you would like to attend. Applications close 11.59pm April 30. Applicants must be an NZSA member. NZSA Trainee membership is free.

The grant provides NZ trainees with an opportunity to gain perspectives on anaesthesia services in the Pacific, to network with anaesthesia colleagues in the region and assist with the PSA meeting, if required. The selected trainee is required to provide a short report for publication in the NZSA magazine, relaying their experiences of attending the meeting. You can read the 2025 report here.

Trainee representative on the GHC

The NZSA’s Global Health Committee (GHC) is seeking a new Trainee Representative to join their Committee.

The GHC has two Trainee positions. As a member of the committee, you will be involved in offering a valuable perspective and assistance on the strategic support New Zealand provides to the Pacific region.

Find out more about the role and application details here.

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Hugh Spencer Education Fund

The Spencer Family Trust developed the fund to be used for education opportunities in the Pacific and is overseen by the NZSA Global Health Committee. Hugh Spencer was a highly respected anaesthetist who was a Life Member of the NZSA, the former head of the Waikato Department, and a Life Member of the PSA. He also received an ANZCA citation for valiant service and the NZ Order of Merit for services to medicine in 2010.

If you wish to donate, please send funds directly to the Hugh Spencer Fund bank account: 02-0168-0240227-007. Please include your name and details to help us identify the payee. Members making donations can claim certain tax deductions.

Other pages related to Global Health Committee

PACT Donations