Sarah B Cairo1, Luc Malemo Kalisya2, Richard Bigabwa3, David H Rothstein4,5. 1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, John R Oshei Children's Hospital, 1001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14202, USA. scairo2@gmail.com. 2. HEAL Africa Hospital and College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo. 3. Nurse Anesthetist, Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo. 4. Department of Pediatric Surgery, John R Oshei Children's Hospital, 1001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14202, USA. 5. Department of Surgery, State University of New York at Buffalo, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Characterize pediatric surgical capacity in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to identify areas of potential improvement. METHODS: The Pediatric Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies (PediPIPES) survey was used in two representative eastern DRC provinces to assess existing surgical infrastructure and capacity. We compared our results to previously published reports from other sub-Saharan African countries. RESULTS: Fourteen hospitals in the eastern DRC and 37 in 19 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries were compared. The average PediPIPES index for the DRC was 7.7 compared to 13.5 for SSAs. The greatest disparities existed in the areas of personnel and infrastructure. Running water was reportedly available to 57.1% of the hospitals in the DRC, and the majority of hospitals (78.6%) were dependent on generators and solar panels for electricity. Only two hospitals in the DRC (14.3%) reported a pediatric surgeon equivalent on staff, compared to 86.5% of facilities sampled in SSA reporting ≥ 1 pediatric surgeon. CONCLUSIONS: Significant barriers in personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies impede the provision of adequate surgical care to children. Further work is needed to assess allocation and utilization of existing resources, and to enhance training of personnel with specific attention to pediatric surgery.
PURPOSE: Characterize pediatric surgical capacity in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to identify areas of potential improvement. METHODS: The Pediatric Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies (PediPIPES) survey was used in two representative eastern DRC provinces to assess existing surgical infrastructure and capacity. We compared our results to previously published reports from other sub-Saharan African countries. RESULTS: Fourteen hospitals in the eastern DRC and 37 in 19 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries were compared. The average PediPIPES index for the DRC was 7.7 compared to 13.5 for SSAs. The greatest disparities existed in the areas of personnel and infrastructure. Running water was reportedly available to 57.1% of the hospitals in the DRC, and the majority of hospitals (78.6%) were dependent on generators and solar panels for electricity. Only two hospitals in the DRC (14.3%) reported a pediatric surgeon equivalent on staff, compared to 86.5% of facilities sampled in SSA reporting ≥ 1 pediatric surgeon. CONCLUSIONS: Significant barriers in personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies impede the provision of adequate surgical care to children. Further work is needed to assess allocation and utilization of existing resources, and to enhance training of personnel with specific attention to pediatric surgery.
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