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Nepogodiev D, Ismail L, Meara JG, Roslani AC, Harrison EM, Bhangu A. Strengthening health systems through surgery. Lancet 2024; 403:2358-2360. [PMID: 38782001 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(24)01031-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Nepogodiev
- NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery, Institute of Applied Health Research, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK.
| | - Lawani Ismail
- Department of Visceral Surgery, University of Abomey-Calavi Faculty of Health Sciences, Cotonou, Benin
| | - John G Meara
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change and Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - April C Roslani
- Department of Surgery, University Malaya Medical Centre and Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ewen M Harrison
- Centre for Medical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Aneel Bhangu
- NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery, Institute of Applied Health Research, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK
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Bekele A, Alayande BT, Powell BL, Obi N, Seyi-Olajide JO, Riviello RR, Ntirenganya F, Ameh EA, Makasa EM. National Surgical Healthcare Policy Development and Implementation: Where do We Stand in Africa? World J Surg 2023; 47:3020-3029. [PMID: 37550548 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-023-07131-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND National surgical policies have been increasingly adopted by African countries over the past decade. This report is intended to provide an overview of the current state of adoption of national surgical healthcare policies in Africa, and to draw a variety of lessons from representative surgical plans in order to support transnational learning. METHODS Through a desk review of available African national surgical healthcare plans and written contributions from a committee comprising six African surgical policy development experts, a few key lessons from five healthcare plans were outlined and iteratively reviewed. RESULTS The current state of national surgical healthcare policies across Africa was visually mapped, and lessons from a few compelling examples are highlighted. These include the power of initiative from Senegal; regional leadership from Zambia; contextualization, and renewal of commitment from Ethiopia; multidisciplinary focus and creation of multiple implementation entry points from Nigeria; partnerships and involvement of multiple stakeholders from Rwanda; and the challenge of surgical policy financing from Tanzania. The availability of global expertise, the power of global partnerships, and the critical role of health ministries and Ministers of Health in planning and implementation have also been highlighted. CONCLUSIONS Strategic planning for surgical healthcare improvement is at various stages across the continent, with potential for countries to learn from one another. Convenings of stakeholders and Ministers of Health from countries at various stages of strategic surgical plan development, execution, and evaluation can enhance African surgical policy development through the exchange of ideas, lessons, and experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abebe Bekele
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali Heights, Plot 772, KG 7 Ave., 5Th Floor, PO Box 6955, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Barnabas Tobi Alayande
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali Heights, Plot 772, KG 7 Ave., 5Th Floor, PO Box 6955, Kigali, Rwanda.
- Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Britany L Powell
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali Heights, Plot 772, KG 7 Ave., 5Th Floor, PO Box 6955, Kigali, Rwanda
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Robert R Riviello
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali Heights, Plot 772, KG 7 Ave., 5Th Floor, PO Box 6955, Kigali, Rwanda
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Emmanuel A Ameh
- Department of Surgery, National Hospital, Central Business District, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Emmanuel M Makasa
- Wits Centre of Surgical Care for Primary Health and Sustainable Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Jhunjhunwala R, Venkatapuram S. How should we prioritise global surgery? A capabilities approach argument for the place of surgery within every health system. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e013100. [PMID: 37949500 PMCID: PMC10649365 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the rapidly evolving landscape of global health issues and policy, surgery has historically been sidelined due to concerns about high cost, complexity and other concerns including quantitatively less surgical disease burden in comparison to infectious disease or other health conditions. Now, in the context of pandemics, climate change, shrinking health budgets and other global health security concerns, the hard-won progress in raising the profile of surgical care is at risk, and a reconceptualisation is needed to maintain its position in global healthcare agendas. We challenge the long-standing ethical frameworks that underlie healthcare priority setting, namely cost-effectiveness analysis and human rights, that have contributed to surgery being sidelined for decades. They incompletely account for improvements to life quality and well-being that are possible through surgical healthcare systems. We argue for the Capabilities Approach as an alternative normative framework because it emphasises the moral importance of supporting every person's abilities to be and to do the things they value. Through this framework, we can produce a more comprehensive conception of healthcare that goes beyond biomedical health, and surgical healthcare would ultimately gain a higher priority in valuation of healthcare and non-healthcare interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashi Jhunjhunwala
- BIDMC Dept of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Jumbam DT, Bustamante A, Alayande BT, Ayala R, Kouam JC, Dzirasa I, Segura C, Kum FV, Muhumuza A, Riviello R, Rata M, Foretia DA, Bekele A. To advance global surgery and anaesthesia, train more advocates. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:bmjgh-2023-012848. [PMID: 37270175 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Desmond T Jumbam
- Department of Health Policy and Advocacy, Operation Smile, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
| | - Atenas Bustamante
- Department of Health Policy and Advocacy, Operation Smile, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Ruben Ayala
- Department of Health Policy and Advocacy, Operation Smile, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
| | - Jean Cedric Kouam
- Nkafu Policy Institute, Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Irene Dzirasa
- Department of Health Policy and Advocacy, Operation Smile, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
- Operation Smile Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Carolina Segura
- Department of Health Policy and Advocacy, Operation Smile, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
| | - Fuein Vera Kum
- Nkafu Policy Institute, Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Arsen Muhumuza
- Department of Health Policy and Advocacy, Operation Smile, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
| | - Robert Riviello
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mikyla Rata
- Department of Health Policy and Advocacy, Operation Smile, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
| | - Denis A Foretia
- Nkafu Policy Institute, Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation, Yaounde, Cameroon
- Global Surgery Institute, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Abebe Bekele
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
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