As intensive care units require costly equipment and trained human resources, their accessibility is poor in developing nations. This critical care can occur at any point of patient contact–the pre-hospital setting, the emergency unit (EU), the general medical ward, or the ICU–and does not require a physical ICU space to be provided. Early critical care services emphasize vital organ support during the initial medical care provided to the critically ill patient who is still within the dynamic phase (usually within the first 24–72 hours) of critical illness. The continuum of care in early critical care delivery is very important. The readiness of the system, and the ability of the health care force to identify and treat these critical illnesses early in the course of the disease is paramount and important for the recovery of the patient and preventing deterioration of the illness.

ESEP has advocated for strengthening early critical care services in Ethiopia, including advocacy to incorporate emergency medical training in undergraduate education, dedicated funding for research, and advocacy for policy change. We have seen a huge change in Ethiopia, with the Ethiopian government making tremendous efforts to improve critical care delivery at different stages of the healthcare system. The scale-up of emergency rooms to identify diseases and equip required health care professionals are some to mention. There are more than 120 emergency medicine and critical care physicians and more than 300 master’s degree graduates working in different emergency and critical care rooms.