State of Surgery in Tropical Africa: A Review

The role of NGOs and humanitarian organizations in enhancing surgical capacity in Africa: lessons learned and future directions-a narrative review

INTRODUCTION

Significant inequities exist in surgical care accessibility across marginalized African communities. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and humanitarian groups are vital in supporting Africa's surgical infrastructure. This narrative review explores the current status of surgical care in Africa, highlighting NGO initiatives, past challenges, and future opportunities.

METHODS

A narrative review was conducted using PubMed/Medline, ScienceDirect, and other relevant organizational websites.

RESULTS

Over 90% of patients in Africa lack access to proper surgical care due to funding shortages, inadequate resources, and a lack of skilled personnel. NGOs have addressed these gaps through successful initiatives, including fundraising and training, although past failures emphasize the need for clearer objectives and sustainable strategies.

DISCUSSION

Future efforts should prioritize addressing cultural sensitivities, setting realistic goals, and leveraging telemedicine. NGOs and humanitarian organizations will remain critical to improving surgical care for underserved populations in Africa.

A scoping review of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), protocol implementation, and its impact on surgical outcomes and healthcare systems in Africa

BACKGROUND

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a patient-centered approach to surgery designed to reduce stress responses and facilitate faster recovery. ERAS protocols have been widely adopted in high-income countries, supported by robust research demonstrating improved patient outcomes. However, in Africa, there is limited evidence regarding its implementation. This review aims to identify the existing literature on the implementation of ERAS principles in Africa, the reported clinical outcomes, and the challenges and recommendations for successful implementation.

METHODS

We conducted a librarian-assisted literature search of electronic research databases between October and November 2023. Titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility, and duplicates were then removed, followed by full-text assessment of potentially eligible studies. We utilized the summative content analysis method to synthesize and group the data into fewer categories based on agreed-upon criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the results.

RESULTS

The search identified 342 potential studies resulting in 15 eligible studies for inclusion in the review. The publication years ranged from 2016 to 2023. The studies originated from three countries: Egypt (n = 10), South Africa (n = 4), and Uganda (n = 1). Successful implementation was associated with reduced hospital length of stay (n = 12), lower mortality rates (n = 3), and improved pain outcomes (n = 7). Challenges included protocol adherence (n = 5) and limitations of the research design to generate strong evidence (n = 3). Recommendations included formal adoption of ERAS principles (n = 5), the need for sustained research commitment, and exploration of the applicability of ERAS in diverse surgical contexts (n = 8). Large-scale implementation beyond individual institutions was encouraged to further validate its impact on patient outcomes and healthcare costs (n = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the limited number of studies on ERAS implementation in Africa, the available evidence suggests that it reduces the length of hospital stays and mortality rates. This is crucial for the region, given its higher mortality rates, necessitating more collaborative, methodically well-designed studies to establish stronger evidence for ERAS in lower-resource environments.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Sub-Saharan Africa

More than 80% of global hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients are estimated to occur in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Eastern Asia. The most common risk factor of HCC in SSA is chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, with the incidence highest in West Africa. HBV is highly endemic in SSA and is perpetuated by incomplete adherence to birth dose immunization, lack of longitudinal follow-up care, and impaired access to antiviral therapy. HBV may directly cause HCC through somatic genetic alterations or indirectly through altered liver function and liver cirrhosis. Other risk factors of HCC in SSA include aflatoxins and, to a lesser extent, African iron overload. HIV plus HBV co-infection increases the risk of developing HCC and is increasingly becoming more common because of improving the survival of patients with HIV infection. Compared with the rest of the world, patients with HCC in SSA have the lowest survival. This is partly due to the late presentation of HCC with advanced symptomatic disease as a result of underdeveloped surveillance practices. Moreover, access to care and resource limitations further limit outcomes for the patients who receive a diagnosis in SSA. There is a need for multipronged strategies to decrease the incidence of HCC and improve its outcomes in SSA.

Measuring the migration of surgical specialists

BACKGROUND

The lack of access to essential surgical care in low-income countries is aggravated by emigration of locally-trained surgical specialists to more affluent regions. Yet, the global diaspora of surgeons, obstetricians, and anesthesiologists from low-income and middle-income countries has never been fully described and compared with those who have remained in their country of origin. It is also unclear whether the surgical workforce is more affected by international migration than other medical specialists. In this study, we aimed to quantify the proportion of surgical specialists originating from low-income and middle-income countries that currently work in high-income countries.

METHODS

We retrieved surgical workforce data from 48 high-income countries and 102 low-income and middle-income countries using the database of the World Health Organization Global Surgical Workforce. We then compared this domestic workforce with more granular data on the country of initial medical qualification of all surgeons, anesthesiologists, and obstetricians made available for 14 selected high-income countries to calculate the proportion of surgical specialists working abroad.

RESULTS

We identified 1,118,804 specialist surgeons, anesthesiologists, or obstetricians from 102 low-income and middle-income countries, of whom 33,021 (3.0%) worked in the 14 included high-income countries. The proportion of surgical specialists abroad was greatest for the African and South East Asian regions (12.8% and 12.1%). The proportion of specialists abroad was not greater for surgeons, anesthesiologists, or obstetricians than for physicians and other medical specialists (P = .465). Overall, the countries with the lowest remaining density of surgical specialists were also the countries from which the largest proportion of graduates were now working in high-income countries (P = .011).

CONCLUSION

A substantial proportion of all surgeons, anesthesiologists, and obstetricians from low-income and middle-income countries currently work in high-income countries. In addition to decreasing migration from areas of surgical need, innovative strategies to retain and strengthen the surgical workforce could involve engaging this large international pool of surgical specialists and instructors.

Acquisition of Surgical Skills by Final-Year Medical Students in State-Owned Medical Schools of Cameroon: Are We Doing Any Good?

INTRODUCTION

World Health Organization recommends that basic surgical care be administered at the district level. In the absence of qualified surgeons, general practitioners are sometimes proposed to bridge the gap. Medical curricula in low- and middle-income countries must be designed accordingly. The aim of this study was to assess the achievements of training of undergraduate medical students in Cameroon towards meeting this objective.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the four state-owned medical schools in Cameroon. All students who had completed all clinical rotations were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire for their exposure and self-perceived comfort in conducting some selected basic surgical skills and procedures.

RESULTS

A total of 304 (87.6%) students returned filled questionnaires. Their self-perceived comfort in surgical skills ranged from 25% (manual node tying) to 86% (surgical scrubbing). Adequate exposure to selected surgical procedures was 87% for repair of perineal tear complicating vaginal delivery, above 80% for caesarean section and incision and drainage of abscess, 73% for cast immobilization of extremity fracture and just above 50% for hernia repair and appendectomy. It was as low as 3% for bowel resection and anastomosis. The choice to perform extra-curricular activity for skills improvement was significantly associated with adequate exposure (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Overall, the mastery of practical surgical skills and basic surgical interventions by final-year medical students in Cameroon is insufficient. There is need to reinforce the training and assessment by creating the conditions for an appropriate exposure of medical students during surgical rotations.

Lasting impact: a qualitative study of perspectives on surgery by adult recipients of free mission-based surgical care in Benin

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore how adult patients who received free mission-based elective surgery experienced surgery and its outcomes, in order to provide recommendations for improved service delivery, measurement of impact and future quality initiatives for the humanitarian organisation Mercy Ships and other mission-based surgical platforms.

SETTING

Data were collected in June 2017 in Cotonou, Benin, where the participants had previously received free mission-based elective surgery aboard the Africa Mercy, a non-governmental hospital ship.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixteen patients (seven male, nine female, age range 22-71, mean age 43.25) who had previously received surgical care aboard the Africa Mercy hospital ship between September 2016 and May 2017 participated in the study.

METHODS

Using a qualitative design, 16 individual semistructured interviews were conducted with the assistance of two interpreters. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling from the Mercy Ships patient database. Interview data were coded and organised into themes and subthemes using thematic content analysis in an interpretivist approach.

FINDINGS

Analysis of interview data revealed three main themes: barriers to surgery, experiences with Mercy Ships and changes in perspectives of surgery after their experiences. Key findings included barriers to local surgical provision such as cost, a noteworthy amount of fear and distrust of local surgical teams, exceptional positive experiences with the care at Mercy Ships, and impactful surgery, resulting in high levels of trust in foreign surgical teams.

CONCLUSIONS

While foreign surgical teams are meeting an immediate need for surgical care, the potential enduring legacy is one of trusting only foreigners for surgery. Patients are a critical component to a well-functioning surgical system, and mission-based surgical providers must formulate strategies to mitigate this legacy while strengthening the local surgical system.

What is 'global surgery'? Defining the multidisciplinary interface between surgery, anaesthesia and public health

'Global surgery' is the term adopted to describe a rapidly developing multidisciplinary field aiming to provide improved and equitable surgical care across international health systems. Sitting at the interface between numerous clinical and non-clinical specialisms, it encompasses multiple aspects that surround the treatment of surgical disease and its equitable provision across health systems globally. From defining the role of, and need for, optimal surgical care through to identifying barriers and implementing improvement, global surgery has an expansive remit. Advocacy, education, research and clinical components can all involve surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and allied healthcare professionals working together with non-clinicians, including policy makers, epidemiologists and economists. Long neglected as a topic within the global and public health arenas, an increasing awareness of the extreme disparities internationally has driven greater engagement. Not necessarily restricted to specific diseases, populations or geographical regions, these disparities have led to a particular focus on surgical care in low-income and middle-income countries with the greatest burden and needs. This review considers the major factors defining the interface between surgery, anaesthesia and public health in these settings.

Uptake of permanent contraception among women in sub-Saharan Africa: a literature review of barriers and facilitators

OBJECTIVE

Uptake of permanent contraception among women remains low in sub-Saharan Africa compared to other regions. We aimed to synthesize available evidence on barriers to, and facilitators of permanent contraception with regards to tubal ligation among women in sub-Saharan Africa.

STUDY DESIGN

We reviewed literature on tubal ligation among African women published between January 1, 2000 and October 30, 2017. We searched PubMed, Global health, EMBASE, Web of science, and Google scholar for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies which reported on barriers and/or facilitators to uptake of tubal ligation in sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, we conducted a narrative synthesis and categorized our findings using a framework based on the social ecological model.

RESULTS

We included 48 articles in the review. Identified barriers to tubal ligation among women included individual-level (myths and misconceptions, fear of surgery, irreversibility of procedure, religious beliefs), interpersonal-level (male partner disapproval), and organizational-level (lack of healthcare worker expertise and equipment) factors. Facilitating factors included achievement of desired family size and perceived effectiveness (individual-level), supportive male partners and knowing other women with permanent contraception experience (interpersonal-level), and finally, subsidized cost of the procedure and task-sharing with lower cadre healthcare workers (organizational-level).

CONCLUSIONS

Barriers to, and facilitators of permanent contraception among women in sub-Saharan Africa are multilevel in nature. Strategies countering these barriers should be prioritized, as effective contraception can promote women's health and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to these strategies, more quantitative research is needed to further understand patient-level factors associated with uptake of permanent contraception among women.

The Basic Surgical Skills Course in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Observational Study of Effectiveness

BACKGROUND

The Basic Surgical Skills (BSS) course is a common component of postgraduate surgical training programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, but was originally designed in a UK context, and its efficacy and relevance have not been formally assessed in Africa.

METHODS

An observational study was carried out during a BSS course delivered to early-stage surgical trainees from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Technical skill in a basic wound closure task was assessed in a formal Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSAT) before and after course completion. Participants completed a pre-course questionnaire documenting existing surgical experience and self-perceived confidence levels in surgical skills which were to be taught during the course. Participants repeated confidence ratings and completed course evaluation following course delivery.

RESULTS

A cohort of 17 participants had completed a pre-course median of 150 Caesarean sections as primary operator. Performance on the OSAT improved from a mean of 10.5/17 pre-course to 14.2/17 post-course (mean of paired differences 3.7, p < 0.001). Improvements were seen in 15/17 components of wound closure. Pre-course, only 47% of candidates were forming hand-tied knots correctly and 38% were appropriately crossing hands with each throw, improving to 88 and 76%, respectively, following the course (p = 0.01 for both components). Confidence levels improved significantly in all technical skills taught, and the course was assessed as highly relevant by trainees.

CONCLUSION

The Basic Surgical Skills course is effective in improving the basic surgical technique of surgical trainees from sub-Saharan Africa and their confidence in key technical skills.

Use of the WHO surgical safety checklist in low and middle income countries: A review of the literature

A wealth of research now exists surrounding use of the WHO surgical safety checklist. This paper reviews the literature regarding checklist use in developing countries. Results identify a lack of available literature specific to developing countries despite this potentially being where the greatest impact could be observed. Unique challenges of checklist use are discussed and opportunities for future research focusing on use of the checklist in developing countries suggested.

Management and Outcomes of Acute Surgical Patients at a District Hospital in Uganda with Non-physician Emergency Clinicians

INTRODUCTION

Acute surgical care services in rural Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from human resource and systemic constraints. Developing emergency care systems and task sharing aspects of acute surgical care addresses many of these issues. This paper investigates the degree to which specialized non-physicians practicing in a dedicated Emergency Department contribute to the effective and efficient management of acute surgical patients.

METHODS

This is a retrospective review of an electronic quality assurance database of patients presenting to an Emergency Department in rural Uganda staffed by non-physician clinicians trained in emergency care. Relevant de-identified clinical data on patients admitted directly to the operating theater from 2011 to 2014 were analyzed in Microsoft Excel.

RESULTS

Overall, 112 Emergency Department patients were included in the analysis and 96% received some form of laboratory testing, imaging, medication, or procedure in the ED, prior to surgery. 72% of surgical patients referred by ED received preoperative antibiotics, and preoperative fluid resuscitation was initiated in 65%. Disposition to operating theater was accomplished within 3 h of presentation for 73% of patients. 79% were successfully followed up to assess outcomes at 72 h. 92% of those with successful follow-up reported improvement in their clinical condition. The confirmed mortality rate was 5%.

CONCLUSION

Specialized non-physician clinicians practicing in a dedicated Emergency Department can perform resuscitation, bedside imaging and laboratory studies to aid in diagnosis of acute surgical patients and arrange transfer to an operating theater in an efficient fashion. This model has the potential to sustainably address structural and human resources problems inherent to Sub-Saharan Africa's current acute surgical care model and will benefit from further study and expansion.

Trauma care in Malawi: A call to action

Injuries are a global public health concern because most are preventable yet they continue to be a major cause of death and disability, especially among children, adolescents, and young adults. This enormous loss of human potential has numerous negative social and economic consequences. Malawi has no formal system of prehospital trauma care, and there is limited access to hospital-based trauma care, orthopaedic surgery, and rehabilitation. While some hospitals and research teams have established local trauma registries and quantified the burden of injuries in parts of Malawi, there is no national injury surveillance database compiling the data needed in order to develop and implement evidence-based prevention initiatives and guidelines to improve the quality of clinical care. Studies in other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have demonstrated cost-effective methods for enhancing prehospital, in-hospital, and post-discharge care of trauma patients. We encourage health sectors leaders from across Malawi to take action to improve trauma care and reduce the burden from injury in this country.

Task-shifting of orthopaedic surgery to non-physician clinicians in Malawi: effective and safe?

There is a shortage of orthopaedic surgeons in Malawi. Orthopaedic clinical officers (OCOs) treat trauma patients and occasionally perform major orthopaedic surgery. No studies have assessed the efficacy and safety of their work. The aim of this study was to evaluate their contribution to major orthopaedic surgery at Zomba Central Hospital. Data about orthopaedic procedures during 2006-2010 were collected from theatre books. We selected major amputations and open reductions and plating for outcome analysis and collected details from files. We compared patients operated by OCOs alone ('OCOs alone' group) and by surgeons or OCOs assisted by surgeons ('Surgeon present' group). OCOs performed 463/1010 major (45.8%) and 1600/1765 minor operations (90.7%) alone. There was no difference in perioperative outcome between both groups. OCOs carry out a large proportion of orthopaedic procedures with good clinical results. Shifting of clinical tasks including major orthopaedic surgery can be safe. Further prospective studies are recommended.

Clinical trials in low and middle-income countries - Successes and challenges

Gynecologic malignancies affect women in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) at equal or higher rates compared to high income countries (HICs), yet practice guidelines based on clinical trials performed in HICs do not routinely account for resource disparities between these regions. There is a need and growing interest for executing clinical trials in LMICs. This has led to the creation of multinational cooperative groups and the initiation of several ongoing clinical trials in Mexico, China, and Korea. In this article we describe the challenges involved in initiating clinical trials in LMICs, review current efforts within surgical, medical, and radiation oncology, and introduce high priority topics for future research.

An Ethiopian Training Program in Neurosurgery with Norwegian Support

After a 4-year planning period, a joint Ethiopian/Norwegian training program in neurosurgery was started in June 2006. The collaborating partners were Addis Ababa University; Department of Surgery, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital; University of Bergen; Haukeland University Hospital; and Myungsung Christian Medical Center, a Korean missionary hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A memorandum of understanding was signed at dean/chief executive officer levels. Although other initiatives have been involved in supporting neurosurgery in Addis Ababa during the same period, this institutionally founded program has been the main external contributor to neurosurgical capacity building through the education of 21 Ethiopian neurosurgeons, and in supporting a sustainable environment for neurosurgical training within a network of 5 centers in Addis Ababa. This article gives an account of the strategies underlying the program planning, the history of the program, and on the experience gained by it. Finally, ethical problems and challenges encountered in the program are discussed.

Partnership in fellowship: Comparative analysis of pediatric surgical training and evaluation of a fellow exchange between Canada and Kenya

BACKGROUND

In pediatric surgery, significant differences in education and practice exist between developed and developing nations. We compared the training of senior fellows in a Canadian and a Kenyan pediatric surgery training program, and evaluated a fellow exchange between the programs.

METHODS

The study was performed six years after creation of the exchange program. Areas studied included case volume and distribution, length of training, curriculum, work hours, and an estimate of service to education ratio. Perceived strengths and challenges of the exchange were investigated using questionnaires.

RESULTS

Fellows at each site performed approximately 450 cases/year. Significant differences in case distribution were noted, with plastic surgery, urology and neurosurgery procedures being significantly more frequent in the Kenyan center, and neonatal, minimally invasive, and vascular access procedures being significantly more frequent in the Canadian center. All participants identified educational value in the exchange, although logistical challenges were significant.

CONCLUSION

Differences exist in the training experiences of pediatric surgical fellows in Canada and Kenya, reflecting the differences in health care environment, education, and surgical practice in the two countries. The exchange program of pediatric surgical fellows tapped into this rich diversity and may be applicable to other medical and surgical specialty training programs.

Experience of collaboration between a Dutch surgical team in a Ghanaian Orthopaedic Teaching Hospital

BACKGROUND

Surgery is an indivisible, indispensable part of healthcare. In Africa, surgery may be thought of as the neglected stepchild of global public health. We describe our experience over a 3-year period of intensive collaboration between specialized teams from a Dutch hospital and local teams of an orthopaedic hospital in Effiduase-Koforidua, Ghana.

INTERVENTION

During 2010-2012, medical teams from our hospital were deployed to St. Joseph's Hospital. These teams were completely self-supporting. They were encouraged to work together with the local-staff. Apart from clinical work, effort was also spent on education/ teaching operation techniques/ regional anaesthesia techniques/ scrubbing techniques/ and principles around sterility.

RESULTS

Knowledge and quality of care has improved. Nevertheless, the overall level of quality of care still lags behind compared to what we see in the Western world. This is mainly due to financial constraints; restricting the capacity to purchase good equipment, maintaining it, and providing regular education.

CONCLUSION

The relief provided by institutions like Care-to-Move is very valuable and essential to improve the level of healthcare. The hospital has evolved to such a high level that general European teams have become redundant. Focused and dedicated teams should be the next step of support within the nearby future.

Obstacles to implementation of an intervention to improve surgical services in an Ethiopian hospital: a qualitative study of an international health partnership project

Background

Access to safe surgical care represents a critical gap in healthcare delivery and development in many low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Quality improvement (QI) initiatives at hospital level may contribute to closing this gap. Many such quality improvement initiatives are carried out through international health partnerships. Better understanding of how to optimise quality improvement in low-income settings is needed, including through partnership-based approaches. Drawing on a process evaluation of an intervention to improve surgical services in an Ethiopian hospital, this paper offers lessons to help meet this need.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative process evaluation of a quality improvement project which aimed to improve access to surgical services in an Ethiopian referral hospital through better management. Data was collected longitudinally and included: 66 in-depth interviews with surgical staff and project team members; observation (135 h) in the surgery department and of project meetings; project-related documentation. Thematic analysis, guided by theoretical constructs, focused on identifying obstacles to implementation.

Results

The project largely failed to achieve its goals. Key barriers related to project design, partnership working and the implementation context, and included: confusion over project objectives and project and partner roles and responsibilities; logistical challenges concerning overseas visits; difficulties in communication; gaps between the time and authority team members had and that needed to implement and engage other staff; limited strategies for addressing adaptive—as opposed to technical—challenges; effects of hierarchy and resource scarcity on QI efforts. While many of the obstacles identified are common to diverse settings, our findings highlight ways in which some features of low-income country contexts amplify these common challenges.

Conclusion

We identify lessons for optimising the design and planning of quality improvement interventions within such challenging healthcare contexts, with specific reference to international partnership-based approaches. These include: the need for a funded lead-in phase to clarify and agree goals, roles, mutual expectations and communication strategies; explicitly incorporating adaptive, as well as technical, solutions; transparent management of resources and opportunities; leadership which takes account of both formal and informal power structures; and articulating links between project goals and wider organisational interests.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1639-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Systematic Review of Surgical Literature from Resource-Limited Countries: Developing Strategies for Success

BACKGROUND

Injuries and surgical diseases are leading causes of global mortality. We sought to identify successful strategies to augment surgical capacity and research endeavors in low-income countries (LIC's) based on existing peer-reviewed literature.

METHODS

A systematic review of literature from or pertaining to LIC's from January 2002 to December 2011 was performed. Variables analyzed included type of intervention performed, research methodology, and publication demographics such as surgical specialty, partnerships involved, authorship contribution, place and journal of publication.

FINDINGS

A total of 2049 articles met the inclusion criteria between 2002 and 2011. The two most common study methodologies performed were case series (44%) and case reports (18%). A total of 43% of publications were without outcome measures. Only 21% of all publications were authored by a collaboration of authors from low-income countries and developed country nationals. The five most common countries represented were Nepal (429), United States (408), England (170), Bangladesh (158), and Kenya (134). Furthermore, of countries evaluated, Nepal and Bangladesh were the only two with a specific national journal.

INTERPRETATION

Based on the results of this research, the following recommendations were made: (1) Describe, develop, and stimulate surgical research through national peer-reviewed journals, (2) Foster centers of excellence to promote robust research competencies, (3) Endorse partnerships across regions and institutions in the promotion of global surgery, and (4) Build on outcome-directed research.

Vital Signs Directed Therapy: Improving Care in an Intensive Care Unit in a Low-Income Country

BACKGROUND

Global Critical Care is attracting increasing attention. At several million deaths per year, the worldwide burden of critical illness is greater than generally appreciated. Low income countries (LICs) have a disproportionally greater share of critical illness, and yet critical care facilities are scarce in such settings. Routines utilizing abnormal vital signs to identify critical illness and trigger medical interventions have become common in high-income countries but have not been investigated in LICs. The aim of the study was to assess whether the introduction of a vital signs directed therapy protocol improved acute care and reduced mortality in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Tanzania.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Prospective, before-and-after interventional study in the ICU of a university hospital in Tanzania. A context-appropriate protocol that defined danger levels of severely abnormal vital signs and stipulated acute treatment responses was implemented in a four week period using sensitisation, training, job aids, supervision and feedback. Acute treatment of danger signs at admission and during care in the ICU and in-hospital mortality were compared pre and post-implementation using regression models. Danger signs from 447 patients were included: 269 pre-implementation and 178 post-implementation. Acute treatment of danger signs was higher post-implementation (at admission: 72.9% vs 23.1%, p<0.001; in ICU: 16.6% vs 2.9%, p<0.001). A danger sign was five times more likely to be treated post-implementation (Prevalence Ratio (PR) 4.9 (2.9-8.3)). Intravenous fluids were given in response to 35.0% of hypotensive episodes post-implementation, as compared to 4.1% pre-implementation (PR 6.4 (2.5-16.2)). In patients admitted with hypotension, mortality was lower post-implementation (69.2% vs 92.3% p = 0.02) giving a numbers-needed-to-treat of 4.3. Overall in-hospital mortality rates were unchanged (49.4% vs 49.8%, p = 0.94).

CONCLUSION

The introduction of a vital signs directed therapy protocol improved the acute treatment of abnormal vital signs in an ICU in a low-income country. Mortality rates were reduced for patients with hypotension at admission but not for all patients.

Cancer Care in Africa: An Overview of Resources

Purpose

According to predictions from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, over the next 5 years, the annual number of new cases of cancer in Africa will grow to more than one million. Together with the immense loss in human life, there is a considerable economic setback attached to this number. However, most African nations are far from adequately scaling up their capacity to control cancer.

Methods

This study reviews the published data on the existing cancer control resources in Africa. It is, to our knowledge, the first combined effort looking at all resources available on the continent regarding cancer care.

Results

The total number of 102 cancer treatment centers, including general oncology centers, gynecologic oncology or other single-organ malignancy units, and pediatric oncology and palliative care establishments, is not sufficient to cover the increasing needs of the African population affected by cancer. In addition, the continental average total health expenditure per capita amounts to only US$82.

Conclusion

This review could serve as a starting point for devising realistic solutions meant to improve the prevention and management of malignant disease on the African continent.

International disparities in trauma care

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Trauma care has been a low priority topic in the global health agenda until recently, despite its social and economic impact. Although prevention is the key, provision and quality of trauma care has been the weakest link in the survival chain. We aim to summarize the differences in global trauma care to propose solutions in this article.

RECENT FINDINGS

Patients with life-threatening injuries are six times more likely to die following a trauma in a low-income country than in a high-income country. Unintentional injuries currently rank fourth in the global causes of death, resulting in 5.8 million premature deaths and millions more with disability. The WHO member countries started the first global Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 initiative in May 2011. Governments across the world agreed to take steps to improve the safety of roads and vehicles, enhance the behavior of all road users and strengthen post-trauma care.

SUMMARY

Several core strategies have been identified: human resource planning; physical resources (equipment and supplies); and administration (quality improvement and data collection) need to be developed for effective and adaptable prehospital care, patient transfer, in-hospital care and rehabilitation systems for injured persons worldwide. Clear definition of the problem to propose solutions is critical.

Intra-abdominal sepsis--epidemiology, aetiology and management

Peritonitis is a progressive disease leading inexorably from local peritoneal irritation to overwhelming sepsis and death unless this trajectory is interrupted by timely and effective therapy. In children peritonitis is usually secondary to intraperitoneal disease, the nature of which varies around the world. In rich countries, appendicitis is the principal cause whilst in poor countries diseases such as typhoid must be considered in the differential diagnosis. Where resources are limited, the clinical diagnosis of peritonitis mandates laparotomy for diagnosis and source control. In regions with unlimited resources, radiological investigation, ultrasound, CT scan or MRI may be used to select patients for non-operative management. For patients with appendicitis, laparoscopic surgery has achieved results comparable to open operation; however, in many centres open operation remains the standard. In complicated peritonitis "damage control surgery" may be appropriate wherein source control is undertaken as an emergency with definitive repair or reconstruction awaiting improvement in the patient's general condition. Awareness of abdominal compartment syndrome is essential. Primary peritonitis in rich countries is seen in high-risk groups, such as steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome patients, whilst in poor countries the at-risk population is less well defined and the diagnosis is often made at surgery.

Inter-facility transfer of surgical emergencies in a developing country: effects on management and surgical outcomes

OBJECTIVES

Outcomes of surgical emergencies are associated with promptness of the appropriate surgical intervention. However, delayed presentation of surgical patients is common in most developing countries. Delays commonly occur due to transfer of patients between facilities. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of delays in treatment caused by inter-facility transfers of patients presenting with surgical emergencies as measured by objective and subjective parameters.

METHODS

We prospectively collected data on all patients presenting with an acute surgical emergency at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). Information regarding demographics, social class, reason and number of transfers, and distance traveled were collected. Patients were categorized into two groups, those transferred to AKUH from another facility (transferred) and direct arrivals (non-transfers). Differences between presenting physiological parameters, vital statistics, and management were tested between the two groups by the chi square and t tests.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients were included, 49 (49.5 %) patients having been transferred from another facility. The most common reason for transfer was "lack of satisfactory surgical care." There were significant differences in presenting pulse, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, fluid for resuscitation, glasgow coma scale, and revised trauma score (all p values <0.001) between transferred and non-transferred patients. In 56 patients there was a further delay in admission, and the most common reason was bed availability, followed by financial constraints. Three patients were shifted out of the hospital due to lack of ventilator, and 14 patients left against medical advice due to financial limitations. One patient died.

CONCLUSIONS

Inter-facility transfer of patients with surgical emergencies is common. These patients arrive with deranged physiology which requires complex and prolonged hospital care. Patients who cannot afford treatment are most vulnerable to transfers and delays.

Anesthesia education across borders

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Changing attitudes toward global health are affecting medical education programs at all levels in the USA and abroad. This review describes some of these changes, and how these affect the educational aspects of US global health programs and anesthesia training in developing countries.

RECENT FINDINGS

Interest in global health has surged in the past decade, and support for programs has increased in medical schools, university hospitals and from the US government. Recognition of the surgical burden of disease as a global public health problem has been slow but is also increasing. Anesthesia involvement in building healthcare education infrastructure and workforce in low-resource countries is needed and important, and benefits can be had on both sides of the border.

SUMMARY

The past 5 years have brought a new global focus on workforce development and education in anesthesia. Programs need to be supported by all stakeholders and monitored for safety, quality and outcomes.

The cost-effectiveness of orthopaedic clinical officers in Malawi

Background

In Malawi the orthopaedic clinical officer (OCO) training programme trains non-physician clinicians in musculoskeletal care. We studied the cost-effectiveness of this program.

Methods

Hospital logbooks were reviewed for data pertaining to activity in seven district hospitals over a 6-month period. The total costs were divided by the total effectiveness, calculated as disability adjusted life years (DALYs) averted.

Results

The total cost-effectiveness of providing orthopaedic care through the OCO training programme was US$92.06 per DALY averted. The mean per hospital was US$138.75 (95% CI: US$69.58–207.91) per DALY averted which is very cost-effective when compared with other health interventions. Of the 837 patients treated 63% were aged <15 years and 36% were in the ‘economically active’ demographic of ages 15–74 years.

Conclusion

Training of clinical officers in orthopaedic surgery is very cost-effective and allows transfer of skills into rural areas. The demographics suggest that failure to provide such care would have a negative economic impact.

Anaesthesia in Ethiopia: providers' perspectives on the current state of the service

The improvement of surgical and anaesthetic safety in low-resource settings is hampered by a lack of reliable information on the current provision of these services. Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest countries and, despite large amounts of both foreign and domestic investment, still reports some of the worst health outcomes. However, information on anaesthesia and surgical provision is sparse. This work reproduces a questionnaire study, first used in Uganda in 2006, to survey practising anaesthetists regarding the current state of anaesthesia services across Ethiopia. The results indicate that a large proportion of centres remain unable to provide safe general, spinal, paediatric and obstetric anaesthesia, at all levels of hospital and across almost all of the country's regions. In addition to a lack of equipment and pharmaceuticals, anaesthetists report problems with professional recognition and a lack of access to continuing professional development as key barriers to service development.

A qualitative study comparing experiences of the surgical safety checklist in hospitals in high-income and low-income countries

OBJECTIVE

Bold claims have been made for the ability of the WHO surgical checklist to reduce surgical morbidity and mortality and improve patient safety regardless of the setting. Little is known about how far the challenges faced by low-income countries are the same as those in high-income countries or different. We aimed to identify and compare the influences on checklist implementation and compliance in the UK and Africa.

DESIGN

Ethnographic study involving observations, interviews and collection of documents. Thematic analysis of the data.

SETTING

Operating theatres in one African university hospital and two UK university hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

112 h of observations were undertaken. Interviews with 39 theatre and administrative staff were conducted.

RESULTS

Many staff saw value in the checklist in the UK and African hospitals. Some resentment was present in all settings, linked to conflicts between the philosophy behind the checklist and the realities of local cultural, social and economic contexts. Compliance-involving use, completeness and fidelity-was considerably higher, though not perfect, in the UK settings. In these hospitals, compliance was supported by established structures and systems, and was not significantly undermined by major resource constraints; the same was not true of the low-income context. Hierarchical relationships were a major barrier to implementation in all settings, but were more marked in the low-income setting. Introducing a checklist in a professional environment characterised by a lack of accountability and transparency could make the staff feel jeopardised legally, professionally, and personally, and it encouraged them to make misleading records of what had actually been done.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical checklist implementation is likely to be optimised, regardless of the setting, when used as a tool in multifaceted cultural and organisational programmes to strengthen patient safety. It cannot be assumed that the introduction of a checklist will automatically lead to improved communication and clinical processes.

Pediatric Pathology Services in Africa

Context.—Like other pathology services in developing settings, pediatric pathology in Africa is faced with major challenges such as limited access to resources and few opportunities for professional advancement. Additionally, the discrepancy between the large burden of pediatric diseases, many of which individually are rare enough to prove challenging to the general pathologist, and the amount of specialized training available compounds the underlying problems and makes the provision of a high-quality service difficult. Pediatric neoplasms in particular are a chief cause for concern among general pathologists practicing in Africa.

Objectives.—To provide relevant pediatric pathology information with an emphasis on pediatric malignancies to pathologists practicing in Africa, where children represent a very high proportion of the population and training in pediatric pathology is incomplete.

Data Sources.—Authors' experience and relevant literature.

Conclusions.—The limitations inherent in working within a low-resource setting may be reduced by thoughtful and purposeful triaging of specimens, prudent use of cytology in facilitating rapid and inexpensive diagnoses, and collaboration within and outside of the continent. Increased investment in and advocacy for child health, including the creation of additional hospitals dedicated to the care of children, are likely necessary to significantly advance children's health in the region.

Care of the injured worldwide: trauma still the neglected disease of modern society

Traditionally, surgical diseases including emergency and injury care have garnered less attention and support internationally when compared to other medical specialties. Over the past decade however, healthcare professionals have increasingly advocated for the need to address the global burden of non-communicable diseases. Surgical disease, including traumatic injury, is among the top causes of death and disability worldwide and the subsequent economic burden is substantial, falling disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The future of global health in these regions depends on a redirection of attention to diseases managed within surgical, anesthesia and emergency specialties. Increasing awareness of these disparities, as well as increasing focus in the realms of policy and advocacy, is crucial. While the barriers to providing quality trauma and emergency care worldwide are not insurmountable, we must work together across disciplines and across boundaries in order to negotiate change and reduce the global burden of surgical disease.

Challenge of pediatric oncology in Africa

The care of children with malignant solid tumors in sub-Saharan Africa is compromised by resource deficiencies that range from inadequate healthcare budgets and a paucity of appropriately trained personnel, to scarce laboratory facilities and inconsistent drug supplies. Patients face difficulties accessing healthcare, affording investigational and treatment protocols, and attending follow-up. Children routinely present with advanced local and metastatic disease and many children cannot be offered any effective treatment. Additionally, multiple comorbidities, including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV when added to acute on chronic malnutrition, compound treatment-related toxicities. Survival rates are poor. Pediatric surgical oncology is not yet regarded as a health care priority by governments struggling to achieve their millennium goals. The patterns of childhood solid malignant tumors in Africa are discussed, and the difficulties encountered in their management are highlighted. Three pediatric surgeons from different regions of Africa reflect on their experiences and review the available literature. The overall incidence of pediatric solid malignant tumor is difficult to estimate in Africa because of lack of vital hospital statistics and national cancer registries in most of countries. The reported incidences vary between 5% and 15.5% of all malignant tumors. Throughout the continent, patterns of malignant disease vary with an obvious increase in the prevalence of Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and Kaposi sarcoma in response-increased prevalence of HIV disease. In northern Africa, the most common malignant tumor is leukemia, followed by brain tumors and nephroblastoma or neuroblastoma. In sub-Saharan countries, BL is the commonest tumor followed by nephroblastoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. The overall 5-years survival varied between 5% (in Côte d'Ivoire before 2001) to 34% in Egypt and up to 70% in South Africa. In many reports, the survival rate of patients is not mentioned but is clearly very low in many sub-Saharan Africa countries (Sudan, Nigeria). Late presentation was observed for many tumors like nephroblastoma in Nigeria, 72% were stages III and IV or BL stages III and IV were observed in 40% and 30%, respectively. Africa bears a great burden of childhood cancer. Cancer is now curable in developed countries as survival rates approach 80%, but in Africa, >80% of children still die without access to adequate treatment. Sharpening the needlepoint of surgical expertise will, of itself, not compensate for the major infrastructural deficiencies, but must proceed in tandem with resource development and allow heath planners to realize that pediatric surgical oncology is a cost-effective service that can uplift regional services.