Vivian W L Tsang1, Lerly H Luo2,3, Phyllis Kisa4, Geoffrey K Blair5. 1. Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. vivianwltsang@alumni.ubc.ca. 2. Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. 3. Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. 4. Department of Surgery, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda. 5. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The lack of access to essential surgery for many of our world's children is a global health crisis. A third of all deaths in the pediatric population are due to surgical conditions. In low- and middle-income countries, an average of nine in ten children lack access to basic surgical care. METHODS: This review examines ten commitment statements ratified by numerous global pediatric surgical organizations aimed at addressing existing gaps in global surgical care for children. They are substantiated by a review of literature and represent over-arching principles. RESULTS: They prompt the recognition of childhood surgical disease as a global health priority and advocate for availability to safe surgical and anesthetic care. Calls to action highlight the importance of capacity building in the areas of education, data gathering, workforce, research, and international collaborations. DISCUSSION: Eventually, there is the hope for widespread approval of the guiding principles they represent and that the statements themselves, as encapsulations of these beliefs, may act as a continued call for advocacy and action for the necessary work, resources, and funding to mitigate global pediatric surgical disparities.
BACKGROUND: The lack of access to essential surgery for many of our world's children is a global health crisis. A third of all deaths in the pediatric population are due to surgical conditions. In low- and middle-income countries, an average of nine in ten children lack access to basic surgical care. METHODS: This review examines ten commitment statements ratified by numerous global pediatric surgical organizations aimed at addressing existing gaps in global surgical care for children. They are substantiated by a review of literature and represent over-arching principles. RESULTS: They prompt the recognition of childhood surgical disease as a global health priority and advocate for availability to safe surgical and anesthetic care. Calls to action highlight the importance of capacity building in the areas of education, data gathering, workforce, research, and international collaborations. DISCUSSION: Eventually, there is the hope for widespread approval of the guiding principles they represent and that the statements themselves, as encapsulations of these beliefs, may act as a continued call for advocacy and action for the necessary work, resources, and funding to mitigate global pediatric surgical disparities.
Entities:
Keywords:
Access to care; Equity; Global; Global health; Health disparity; Pediatric; Surgery
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Authors: Joshua S Ng-Kamstra; Sarah L M Greenberg; Fizan Abdullah; Vanda Amado; Geoffrey A Anderson; Matchecane Cossa; Ainhoa Costas-Chavarri; Justine Davies; Haile T Debas; George S M Dyer; Sarnai Erdene; Paul E Farmer; Amber Gaumnitz; Lars Hagander; Adil Haider; Andrew J M Leather; Yihan Lin; Robert Marten; Jeffrey T Marvin; Craig D McClain; John G Meara; Mira Meheš; Charles Mock; Swagoto Mukhopadhyay; Sergelen Orgoi; Timothy Prestero; Raymond R Price; Nakul P Raykar; Johanna N Riesel; Robert Riviello; Stephen M Rudy; Saurabh Saluja; Richard Sullivan; John L Tarpley; Robert H Taylor; Louis-Franck Telemaque; Gabriel Toma; Asha Varghese; Melanie Walker; Gavin Yamey; Mark G Shrime Journal: BMJ Glob Health Date: 2016-04-06