World Anaesthesia Day 2025: History, significance & theme

Today, October 16, is observed globally as World Anaesthesia Day. The day marks a watershed milestone in medical history: the first successful public use of ether anaesthesia in 1846. It converted surgery from a painful experience to a precise, painless science. 

In 2025, the global theme is "Anaesthesiology in Health Emergencies," highlighting the importance of anaesthesia teams in crises.

Importance of World Anaesthesia Day

Anaesthesia is now an essential component for safe and effective surgery. This day commemorates not only the development of anaesthesia, but also the dedication of anaesthesiologists, who enable complex medical procedures.

It increases awareness about the importance of universal access to safe anaesthesia, particularly in low-resource settings.

World Anaesthesia Day also provides an opportunity to reflect on how anaesthesiology has evolved from working with basic agents to a sophisticated monitoring system, and how it continues to save lives in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and intensive care units.

History of Anaesthesiology Day 

On October 16, 1846, a dentist named William TG Morton administered ether anaesthesia to a patient in Boston.

This allowed surgeon John Collins Warren to carry out a painless tumour removal. The public demonstration proved that surgery could be performed without pain, heralding the beginning of modern anaesthesia.

Before this innovation, surgeries relied on primitive methods such as alcohol or herbal sedatives, often resulting in limited success and significant trauma.

The breakthrough encouraged its global adoption and led to the development of anaesthesiology as a distinct medical speciality.