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Gomez MG, Arynchyna-Smith A, Ghotme KA, Garcia R, Johnson WD, Boop FA, Park KB, Caceres A, Pardo Vargas RA, Ayala R, Ibbotson G, Sheneman N, Peterson DB, Öcal E, Nyalundja AD, La Fuente J, Khan T, Hobart-Porter L, Moser RP, Ahmed YS, El Abbadi N, Woodrow S, Sundell K, Osendarp SJM, Martinez H, Blount JP, Rosseau GL. Global Neurosurgery at the 76th World Health Assembly (2023): First Neurosurgery-Driven Resolution Calls for Micronutrient Fortification to Prevent Spina Bifida. World Neurosurg 2024; 185:135-140. [PMID: 38266995 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.01.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Since 2018, a neurosurgery delegation has been actively engaged and consistently present at the World Health Assembly. Recognizing the growing impact of neurosurgical diseases, the neurosurgery delegation participated in the 76th World Health Assembly in May 2023, advocating for timely, safe, and affordable global neurosurgical care. The delegation focused on forging new collaborations, strengthening the World Health Organization-World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies official relations, and actively supporting resolutions that impact the neurosurgical patients. However, there is a long advocacy journey ahead to address unmet neurosurgical needs. Patient-centered advocacy is an inherent task of our profession and the essence of the Global Neurosurgery Bogota Declaration of 2016. The highlight of the 76th World Health Assembly was the adoption of the first neurosurgery-driven resolution calling for micronutrient fortification to prevent spina bifida and other micronutrient deficiencies. For the last 4 years, the Global Alliance for Prevention of Spina Bifida, a group spearheaded by neurosurgeons, advocated for spina bifida prevention. This Alliance collaborated with many stakeholders, notably, the Colombian government to promote the resolution: "Accelerating efforts for preventing micronutrient deficiencies and their consequences, including spina bifida and other neural tube defects, through safe and effective food fortification." This is a proud milestone for the neurosurgical profession. There are many strategies available for neurosurgeons, when working together with elected leaders, other stakeholders, and allied professionals, to implement initiatives that can prevent future cases of spina bifida and other neurological disorders and reduce the burden of neurosurgical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Gonzalez Gomez
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Anastasia Arynchyna-Smith
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Kemel A Ghotme
- Translational Neuroscience Research Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia; Department of Neurosurgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, Bogota, Colombia.
| | - Roxanna Garcia
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Walter D Johnson
- Department of Surgery and Neurosurgery, Department of Global Health, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Frederick A Boop
- Department of Neurosurgery, St Jude Global Program, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kee B Park
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adrian Caceres
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's National Hospital, San Jose, Costa Rica
| | - Rosa A Pardo Vargas
- Genetics Section and Neonatology Unit, Hospital Clinico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ruben Ayala
- Operation Smile Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Natalie Sheneman
- Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care (The G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Daniel B Peterson
- Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care (The G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Eylem Öcal
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Arsene Daniel Nyalundja
- Center for Tropical Diseases and Global Health (CTDGH), Catholic University of Bukavu, South-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo; Research Department, Université Catholique de Bukavu, South-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo; Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Jesus La Fuente
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sacred Heart Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tariq Khan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Laura Hobart-Porter
- Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Richard P Moser
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Najia El Abbadi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Ibn Sina, Rabat, Morroco
| | - Sarah Woodrow
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Kristin Sundell
- Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Washington DC, Northwest Washington, USA
| | | | - Homero Martinez
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Blount
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Gail L Rosseau
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Translational Neuroscience Research Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia; Department of Neurosurgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, Bogota, Colombia
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