Routines utilizing abnormal vital signs to identify critical illness and trigger medical interventions have become common in high-income countries but have not been investigated in LICs. The aim of the study was to assess whether the introduction of a vital signs directed therapy protocol improved acute care and reduced mortality in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Tanzania.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether deranged physiologic parameters at admission to an ICU in Tanzania are associated with in-hospital mortality and compare single deranged physiologic parameters to a more complex scoring system.

This study suggests that severely deranged vital signs are common and infrequently lead to acute treatment modifications on an ICU in a low-income country. There may be potential to improve outcome if nurses are guided to administer acute treatment modifications by using a vital sign directed approach.

This article discusses the significant challenges related to accurately estimating the burden of critical illness in developing countries. The article advocates for a more accurate assessment and a stronger global response to the critical illness burden in developing countries. The authors emphasize the need for a focused effort to address the neglected issue of critical illness in developing countries, arguing that global initiatives to improve critical care outcomes must consider these regions unique challenges and needs.

Calling-for-help when taking care of a critically ill patient is a necessary life-saving part of care, but health workers in Tanzanian and Kenyan hospitals experience a range of significant challenges. Hospitals lack functioning structures, processes for calling-for-help are improvised and help that is provided is not as requested. These challenges likely cause delays and decrease the quality of care, potentially resulting in unnecessary mortality and morbidity.

For settings where there is limited or no critical care delivery, implementation of EECC could be a highly cost-effective investment. It could reduce mortality and morbidity for critically ill COVID-19 patients, and its cost effectiveness falls within the range considered ‘highly cost effective’.

Critical illness is common, and the majority of critically ill patients are cared for outside intensive care units in emergency departments and general hospital wards. Essential Emergency and Critical Care (EECC) has been defined as the care that all critically ill patients should receive in all wards and units in all hospitals in the world.

The focus of this study was to specify the content of Essential Emergency Critical Care (EECC) for critically ill patients with COVID-19 due to the surge of critical illness in the current pandemic.

This article discusses the need for essential care. Much of the attention is directed towards expensive, high-tech equipment while neglecting low-cost essential care. This paper recommends the policy focus should be on "basic, effective actions with potential population impact".

This paper discusses the need for essential emergency and critical care (EECC) for all critically ill patients. It is intended for patients irrespective of age, gender, underlying diagnosis, medical specialty, or location in the hospital.