Kinshasa, July 20th, 2025 (CPA) – New anesthetist technicians were called upon on Saturday to embody their profession with passion and conscience during a double ceremony involving the swearing-in of Morton Williams and the extraordinary general meeting, held on the same day in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). « Never forget that behind every anesthesia mask is a face that hopes, fears, and places its complete trust in you. Be worthy of that trust and continue to embody this profession with passion and conscience, remaining attentive to innovation and scientific progress, without ever forgetting the essential: the human being, » said Justin Marius Kimble, president of the National Council of Anesthetist Technicians and Resuscitators (CNTAR). ‘Your presence here symbolizes not only the completion of your training, but also your moral, ethical and professional commitment to our values, including rigor, humanism, solidarity and excellence. You are entering a profession where every action counts, where every decision can save a life, and where every word can ease fear,’ he added.
Mr Kimbien, who is also an anaesthetist and resuscitation technician, told the new anaesthetists that they are following in the footsteps of Williams Morton, a pioneer in anaesthesia who, through his courage and vision, paved the way for modern medicine marked by humanity and the alleviation of suffering. ‘You, dear young anaesthetists and resuscitators, are the worthy heirs of this commitment and now bear the responsibility of preserving and embodying the safety and comfort of our patients (…). I wish you a rich, useful and fulfilling career in the service of life,’ he emphasized. With regard to the working conditions of anaesthetists in eastern DRC, the president of the CNTAR took the opportunity to appeal to the authorities to restore peace in this part of the country so that they can save lives, before praising the diplomatic and political efforts being made to restore peace. He took the opportunity to ask the Congolese government to mechanize anaesthetists and resuscitators. « We are taking this opportunity to ask the Congolese government to mechanize anaesthetists, to grant them their risk premiums so that the population can finally be relieved in terms of healthcare, in the anaesthesia and resuscitation sector, (…) This is a serious problem, but we are confident, we trust our government, we are certain that they will listen to our grievances and they will act on them, » he said. Sixty-two anaesthetists and resuscitators took the ‘Morton Williams’ oath during this ceremony organized by the CNTAR of the DRC, which plays a major role in determining and applying the standards defined for the practice and training of anaesthetists and resuscitators in the DRC. William Thomas Green Morton was an American dentist and surgeon who was responsible for the first successful public demonstration of the qualities of ether as an inhalation anaesthetic, it is recalled. ACP/