scholarly journals The burden of surgical conditions and access to surgical care in low- and middle-income countries

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (8) ◽  
pp. 646-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly McQueen
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Surgical Conditions ◽  
Low And Middle Income

scholarly journals Decentralization and Regionalization of Surgical Care as a Critical Scale-up Strategy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Comment on "Decentralization and Regionalization of Surgical Care: A Review of Evidence for the Optimal Distribution of Surgical Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries"

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaymie A. Henry
Keyword(s):  
Scale Up ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Optimal Distribution ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Surgical Services ◽  
Obstetric Services ◽  
Surgical Conditions ◽  
Low And Middle Income

As global attention to improve the quality, safety and access to surgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) increases, the need for evidence-based strategies to reliably scale-up the quality and quantity of surgical services becomes ever more pertinent. Iversen et al discuss the optimal distribution of surgical services, whether through decentralization or regionalization, and propose a strategy that utilizes the dimensions of acuity, complexity and prevalence of surgical conditions to inform national priorities. Proposed expansion of this strategy to encompass levels of scale-up prioritization is discussed in this commentary. The decentralization of emergency obstetric services in LMICs shows promising results and should be further explored. The dearth of evidence of regionalization in LMICs, on the other hand, limits extrapolation of lessons learned. Nevertheless, principles from the successful regionalization of certain services such as trauma care in high-income countries (HICs) can be adapted to LMIC settings and can provide the backbone for innovation in service delivery and safety.

Self-reported Barriers to Pediatric Surgical Care in Guatemala

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (9) ◽  
pp. 885-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karissa Nguyen ◽  
Syamal D. Bhattacharya ◽  
Megan J. Maloney ◽  
Ligia Figueroa ◽  
Rad M. Taicher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Defects ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Wait Time ◽  
Anorectal Malformations ◽  
Symptom Duration ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Male Predominance ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Surgical Conditions ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Access to pediatric surgical care is limited in low- and middle-income countries. Barriers must be identified before improvements can be made. This pilot study aimed to identify self-reported barriers to pediatric surgical care in Guatemala. We surveyed 78 families of Guatemalan children with surgical conditions who were seen at a pediatric surgical clinic in Guatemala City. Spanish translators were used to complete questionnaires regarding perceived barriers to surgical care. Surgical conditions included hernias, rectal prolapse, anorectal malformations, congenital heart defects, cryptorchidism, soft tissue masses, and vestibulourethral reflux. Average patient age was 8.2 years (range, 1 month to 17 years) with male predominance (62%). Families reported an average symptom duration of 3.7 years before clinic evaluation. Families traveled a variety of distances to obtain surgical care: 36 per cent were local (less than 10 km), 17 per cent traveled 10 to 50 km, and 47 per cent traveled greater than 50 km. Other barriers to surgery included financial (58.9%), excessive wait time in the national healthcare system (10. 2%), distrust of local surgeons (37.2%), and geographic inaccessibility to surgical care (10.2%). The majority of study patients required outpatient procedures, which could improve their quality of life. Many barriers to pediatric surgical care exist in Guatemala. Interventions to remove these obstacles may enhance access to surgery and benefit children in low- and middle-income countries.

scholarly journals Barriers to training in laparoscopic surgery in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

2021 ◽  
pp. 004947552199818
Author(s):  
Ellen Wilkinson ◽  
Noel Aruparayil ◽  
J Gnanaraj ◽  
Julia Brown ◽  
David Jayne
Keyword(s):  
Laparoscopic Surgery ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Local Access ◽  
And Training ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Laparoscopic surgery has the potential to improve care in resource-deprived low- and-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to analyse the barriers to training in laparoscopic surgery in LMICs. Medline, Embase, Global Health and Web of Science were searched using ‘LMIC’, ‘Laparoscopy’ and ‘Training’. Two researchers screened results with mutual agreement. Included papers were in English, focused on abdominal laparoscopy and training in LMICs. PRISMA guidelines were followed; 2992 records were screened, and 86 full-text articles reviewed to give 26 key papers. Thematic grouping identified seven key barriers: funding; availability and maintenance of equipment; local access to experienced laparoscopic trainers; stakeholder dynamics; lack of knowledge on effective training curricula; surgical departmental structure and practical opportunities for trainees. In low-resource settings, technological advances may offer low-cost solutions in the successful implementation of laparoscopic training and improve access to surgical care.

Challenges and possibilities of developing cardiac surgery in a peripheral hospital of low- and middle-income countries

Perfusion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-43
Author(s):  
Kaushal K Tiwari ◽  
Julia Grapsa ◽  
Shankar Laudari ◽  
Michal Pazdernik ◽  
Dominique Vervoort
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Capital City ◽  
World Population ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Peripheral Hospital ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Objective: Over a million cardiac surgeries are performed every year around the globe. However, approximately 93% of world population living in low- and middle-income countries have no access to cardiac surgery. The incidence of rheumatic and congenital heart disease is high in Nepal, while only 2,500-3,000 cardiac surgeries are performed annually. The aim of our study is to analyze challenges and opportunities of establishing a cardiac surgery program in a peripheral hospital of Nepal. Methods: We analyzed our effort to establish a cardiac surgery program in a peripheral hospital in Nepal. Results: Out of 2,659 consulted and diagnosed patients, we performed 85 open-heart surgeries in 4 years. Mean age of patients was 38.35 ± 14.13 years. The majority of patients were male (62.4% of patients) with 65.9% suffering from rheumatic heart disease. Average intensive care unit stay and hospital stay were 2.32 ± 1.1 and 8.29 ± 2.75 days, respectively. No in-hospital mortality was observed. Conclusion: We conclude that developing cardiac surgical care in a peripheral hospital of a developing country is feasible with support from government, foreign colleagues, local teams, and non-governmental organizations. The availability of a regular cardiac surgery service in the periphery of the country makes such services more accessible for the patients and helps in reducing the long waiting lists and unmanageable workload in the established cardiac centers in the capital city.

scholarly journals Global neurosurgery: the current capacity and deficit in the provision of essential neurosurgical care. Executive Summary of the Global Neurosurgery Initiative at the Program in Global Surgery and Social Change

2019 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
pp. 1055-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C. Dewan ◽  
Abbas Rattani ◽  
Graham Fieggen ◽  
Miguel A. Arraez ◽  
Franco Servadei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Median Number ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Executive Summary ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Surgical Workforce ◽  
Low And Middle Income

OBJECTIVEWorldwide disparities in the provision of surgical care result in otherwise preventable disability and death. There is a growing need to quantify the global burden of neurosurgical disease specifically, and the workforce necessary to meet this demand.METHODSResults from a multinational collaborative effort to describe the global neurosurgical burden were aggregated and summarized. First, country registries, third-party modeled data, and meta-analyzed published data were combined to generate incidence and volume figures for 10 common neurosurgical conditions. Next, a global mapping survey was performed to identify the number and location of neurosurgeons in each country. Finally, a practitioner survey was conducted to quantify the proportion of disease requiring surgery, as well as the median number of neurosurgical cases per annum. The neurosurgical case deficit was calculated as the difference between the volume of essential neurosurgical cases and the existing neurosurgical workforce capacity.RESULTSEvery year, an estimated 22.6 million patients suffer from neurological disorders or injuries that warrant the expertise of a neurosurgeon, of whom 13.8 million require surgery. Traumatic brain injury, stroke-related conditions, tumors, hydrocephalus, and epilepsy constitute the majority of essential neurosurgical care worldwide. Approximately 23,300 additional neurosurgeons are needed to address more than 5 million essential neurosurgical cases—all in low- and middle-income countries—that go unmet each year. There exists a gross disparity in the allocation of the surgical workforce, leaving large geographic treatment gaps, particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia.CONCLUSIONSEach year, more than 5 million individuals suffering from treatable neurosurgical conditions will never undergo therapeutic surgical intervention. Populations in Africa and Southeast Asia, where the proportion of neurosurgeons to neurosurgical disease is critically low, are especially at risk. Increasing access to essential neurosurgical care in low- and middle-income countries via neurosurgical workforce expansion as part of surgical system strengthening is necessary to prevent severe disability and death for millions with neurological disease.

Barriers to Essential Surgical Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Pilot Study of a Comprehensive Assessment Tool in Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 2613-2621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barclay T. Stewart ◽  
Adam Gyedu ◽  
Francis Abantanga ◽  
Abdul Rashid Abdulai ◽  
Godfred Boakye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Comprehensive Assessment ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Essential Surgical Care ◽  
Low And Middle Income

scholarly journals Surgical care in low and middle-income countries: Burden and barriers

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 858-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rele Ologunde ◽  
Mahiben Maruthappu ◽  
Kumaran Shanmugarajah ◽  
Joseph Shalhoub
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

scholarly journals The Global Burden of Surgical Disease: An Analysis on Inaccessible Surgical Care in Low and Middle Income Countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chau Huynh ◽  
Minh NQ Huynh
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Anaesthetic Management ◽  
Global Burden ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Worldwide, 4.8 billion people do not have access to safe, adequate surgical care and anaesthetic management. Surgical care has been deemed “the neglected child of global health,” a startling reminder of the disparities in health services. The provision of surgical interventions can avert 11% of the global burden of disease and 1.5 million deaths each year. Many obstacles exist for low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to progress towards accessible surgical care. The first challenge is delivering cost-effective surgical care despite financial constraints and political turmoil. Foreign aid was established to alleviate the financial burden and its contributions have been pivotal. However, based on the political climate in certain countries, funds are siphoned to government sectors other than health care. Moreover, the lack of infrastructure, equipment, and personnel in LMIC compound the issue. The other challenge is determining if surgery is as feasible and effective as non-surgical health interventions. Surgical care is crucial and this paper aims to assess the challenges that limit its stature in global health discussions. The paper will address the influence of financing, infrastructure, workforce, service delivery, and information management on surgical care, and the current resolutions, such as humanitarian aid missions.

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