World Anaesthesia Day 2023: Know Theme, History, Significance And More

World Anaesthesia Day is observed on October 16 every year. The day strives to raise awareness about the importance of anaesthesia in medical treatments. It also supports anaesthesia providers around the world to celebrate their profession. The discovery of anaesthesia helps patients undergo surgical treatments without any pain. Therefore, it is considered to be significant in the history of medicine.

World anaesthesia day 2023: Date, significance and more

History

World Anaesthesia Day marks the birth of anaesthesia.

Anaesthesia was first used on October 16, 1846. The first successful demonstration of ether anaesthesia was performed by William Thomas Green Morton (1819-1868) at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA, USA.

Significance

According to the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists, nearly 5 billion people continue to lack access of safe anaesthesia practices. World Anaesthesia Day acts as a powerful advocacy tool that tries to educate people, medical professionals and society about the importance of anaesthesia and the crucial roles that anaesthesiologists play in patient wellbeing.

Theme

The theme for World Anaesthesia Day 2023 is 'Anaesthesia and Cancer Care.'

This theme tries to raise awareness about the pivotal role of anaesthesia in cancer treatments. It also attempts to strengthen anaesthesia services to enhance treatment for cancer.

What is anaesthesia?

Anaesthesia is given to patients before surgery or any other painful procedure. It helps treat the patients safely without causing any pain by inducing unconsciousness. There are mainly three types of anaesthesia, local, general and general anaesthesia. The medicines given result in loss of sensation.

Post- anaesthesia the patient may experience dry mouth, sore throat, sleepiness, muscle aches, confusion and shivering for a while.

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