The ASA Committee on Global Humanitarian Outreach (GHO) is proud again to be able to honor Nicholas M. Greene through conferring the humanitarian award bearing his name. In October, we will honor the fifth recipient, Medge D. Owen, M.D., for her remarkable commitment to pregnant women in low-income countries.
As the ASA GHO reflects on this award, it is an opportune time to remember Dr. Nic Greene for his work and his commitment to ensuring that ASA’s investment in humanitarian outreach would continue. Dr. Greene worked in Africa for decades, improving patients’ lives through anesthesia. His vision was behind the establishment of the Overseas Teaching Program (OTP) that began in 1991.
The original vision of the OTP was in response to an anesthesia crisis in Africa at that time. Dr. Greene’s practical approach was to teach technicians to safely deliver spinal and Ketamine anesthesia, because therewere neither anesthesiologists nor nurses...