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Mohamed M, Grimm A, Williams C, Cotache-Condor C, Concepcion TL, Dahir S, Ismail EA, Rice HE, Smith ER. Assessment of anesthesia capacity for children in Somaliland. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0003650. [PMID: 39196977 PMCID: PMC11356410 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/30/2024]
Abstract
The burden of pediatric surgical conditions in Somaliland is high and the pediatric anesthesia capacity across the country remains poorly understood. The international standards developed by the World Health Organization and World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WHO-WFSA) serve as a guideline to assess the provision of anesthetic care. This study aims to describe anesthesia capacity for children in Somaliland and assess progress towards reaching the WHO-WFSA international standards. In this cross-sectional study, anesthesia infrastructure and workforce data, as well as pediatric clinical and demographic data were collected from fifteen private, charity, and government hospitals in the six regions of Somaliland. We described anesthesia capacity in Somaliland and compared baseline data to the WHO-WFSA international standards. Overall, Somaliland did not reach most of the target goals for anesthesia capacity as defined by the WHO-WFSA. Most markers for anesthesia capacity were far behind the established targets, with deficits of 99% for anesthesiologists density, 83% for operating room density, and 83% for ventilator density. Hospitals in urban Maroodi-Jeex, and private hospitals had more supplies, infrastructure, and surgical personnel than hospitals in rural areas. There are large gaps in current anesthetic resources for children according to WHO-WFSA global standards, as well as wide disparities between regions and types of hospitals in Somaliland. Increased investment in anesthesia infrastructure and workforce is required to meet the needs of pediatric surgical patients across the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubarak Mohamed
- Department of Surgery, Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | - Andie Grimm
- Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Christina Williams
- Program in Pediatrics and Anesthesiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Cesia Cotache-Condor
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Tessa L. Concepcion
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Shukri Dahir
- Department of Surgery, Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | - Edna Adan Ismail
- Founder and Director, Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | - Henry E. Rice
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Emily R. Smith
- Duke Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
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Omar MA, Osman MM, Mohamud AM, Hashi AS, Mohamed SA, Kifle F, Corlew S, Maswime S. Assessment of surgical, anesthesia, and obstetric workforce in Somalia. World J Surg 2024. [PMID: 39014471 DOI: 10.1002/wjs.12283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the core indicators recommended by the Lancet Commission is surgical workforce density, aiming to improve the number of surgery, anesthetists, and obstetric (SAO) providers to 20 per 100,000 population by 2030. We assessed SAO workforce capacity in Somalia and made recommendations for improvement. METHOD A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire from the WHO Program for Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC) Surgical Assessment Tool. All hospitals that offer surgical care services were included. A descriptive analysis was conducted using the statistical software SPSS. RESULTS Of the 55 surveyed facilities providing surgical care services, 28 (50.9%) were public, mainly in urban areas. We found that there were 474 SAO specialists and non-specialists (SAO providers) and 446 other important personnel (e.g., midwives, radiologists, and pathologists). Out of 474 SAOs, Banadir had 288. Overall, surgery specialties were the most prevalent profession among SAO providers' workforce, accounting for 160 (33.7%) surgery specialists, with 1.2 per 100,000 population. The six states of Somalia have 54 OB/GYN specialists (0.4 per 100,000 population). There were a total of 22 anesthesia specialists, with a ratio of 0.2 anesthesia specialists per 100,000 population. CONCLUSION We found a serious shortage of the SAO workforce in Somalia, and it is unlikely to meet the 2030 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery targets. There is a need for additional training of SAO providers who can offer effective leadership in surgical care services to combat the extremely avoidable surgical-related morbidities and mortalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdinor Omar
- Emergency Department, Federal Ministry of Health, Mogadishu, Somalia
- Global Surgery Somalia Foundation, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | - Marian Muse Osman
- Global Surgery Somalia Foundation, Mogadishu, Somalia
- Research Department, National Institute of Health, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | - Abdullahi Mohamed Mohamud
- Global Surgery Somalia Foundation, Mogadishu, Somalia
- Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | - Abdullahi Said Hashi
- Global Surgery Somalia Foundation, Mogadishu, Somalia
- Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Mogadishu Somali-Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | | | - Fitsum Kifle
- Network for Perioperative and Critical Care, Asrat Woldyes Health Sciences Campus, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Global Surgery Division, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa
| | - Scott Corlew
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Salome Maswime
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Global Surgery Division, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa
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Karydi KI, Kabaghe S, Blamey H, Mohamed M, Shamambo N, Edgcombe H. Non-physician anaesthesia providers' perspectives on task sharing practices in Zambia and Somaliland: a qualitative study. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e078939. [PMID: 38719296 PMCID: PMC11086413 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 68th World Health Assembly, in 2015, called for surgical and anaesthesia services strengthening. Acknowledging the healthcare staff shortages, they referred to task sharing, among others, as a more effective use of the healthcare workforce. While task sharing has been increasingly proposed as an important strategy to increase the reach and safety of anaesthesia as well as a means of supporting the workforce in low-resource settings, most data on task sharing relate to non-anaesthetic healthcare contexts. The aim of this study was to understand anaesthetic task sharing as currently experienced and/or envisaged by non-physician anaesthesia providers in Zambia and Somaliland. METHODS An exploratory qualitative research methodology was used. Participants were recruited initially via contacts of the research team, then through snowballing using a purposive sampling strategy. There were 13 participants: 7 from Somaliland and 6 from Zambia. Semistructured interviews took place synchronously, then were recorded, anonymised, transcribed and analysed thematically. Triangulation and respondents' validation were used to maximise data validity. RESULTS Four major themes were identified in relation to task sharing practices: (1) participants recognised variable components of task sharing in their practice; (2) access to task sharing depends both on sources and resources; (3) implicit barriers may inhibit task sharing practices; (4) there is an appetite among participants for amelioration of current task sharing practices. CONCLUSIONS Empowering task sharing practices can be achieved only by understanding how these practices work, by identifying gaps and areas of improvement, and by addressing them. The findings from this exploratory study could help the global community understand how anaesthetic task sharing in low-resource settings works and inspire further research on the field. This could inform future modelling of workforce planning strategies in low-resource settings to maximise the effectiveness and professional well-being of the workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantina Ilia Karydi
- Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Helen Blamey
- Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Naomi Shamambo
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Worthing, UK
| | - Hilary Edgcombe
- Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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Zadey S, Rao S, Gondi I, Sheneman N, Patil C, Nayan A, Iyer H, Kumar AR, Prasad A, Finley GA, Prasad CRK, Chintamani, Sharma D, Ghosh D, Jesudian G, Fatima I, Pattisapu J, Ko JS, Bains L, Shah M, Alam MS, Hadigal N, Malhotra N, Wijesuriya N, Shukla P, Khan S, Pandya S, Khan T, Tenzin T, Hadiga VR, Peterson D. Achieving Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia (SOTA) care for all in South Asia. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1325922. [PMID: 38450144 PMCID: PMC10915281 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1325922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
South Asia is a demographically crucial, economically aspiring, and socio-culturally diverse region in the world. The region contributes to a large burden of surgically-treatable disease conditions. A large number of people in South Asia cannot access safe and affordable surgical, obstetric, trauma, and anesthesia (SOTA) care when in need. Yet, attention to the region in Global Surgery and Global Health is limited. Here, we assess the status of SOTA care in South Asia. We summarize the evidence on SOTA care indicators and planning. Region-wide, as well as country-specific challenges are highlighted. We also discuss potential directions-initiatives and innovations-toward addressing these challenges. Local partnerships, sustained research and advocacy efforts, and politics can be aligned with evidence-based policymaking and health planning to achieve equitable SOTA care access in the South Asian region under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhesh Zadey
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- GEMINI Research Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
- Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital, and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shirish Rao
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Global Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care, Chicago, IL, United States
- Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Isha Gondi
- Global Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, United States
| | - Natalie Sheneman
- Global Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Chaitrali Patil
- Global Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Biology and Statistics, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Anveshi Nayan
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Himanshu Iyer
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Arti Raj Kumar
- India Hub, NIHR Health Research Unit On Global Surgery, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
| | - Arun Prasad
- Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - G. Allen Finley
- Department of Anesthesiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Chintamani
- Department of Surgery, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Dhananjaya Sharma
- Department of Surgery, NSCB Government Medical College, Jabalpur, India
| | - Dhruva Ghosh
- India Hub, NIHR Health Research Unit On Global Surgery, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
| | - Gnanaraj Jesudian
- Karunya Rural Community Hospital Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
- Association of Rural Surgeons of India, Wardha, India
- International Federation of Rural Surgeons, Ujjain, India
- Rural Surgery Innovations Private Limited, Dimapur, Nagaland, India
| | - Irum Fatima
- IRD Pakistan and the Global Surgery Foundation, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Jogi Pattisapu
- University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Justin Sangwook Ko
- Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Lovenish Bains
- Department of Surgery, Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Surgical Care Delivery in LMIC, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mashal Shah
- Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Mohammed Shadrul Alam
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Mugda Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- American College of Surgeons: Bangladesh Chapter, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Bangladesh Health Economist Forum, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Association of Pediatric Surgeons of Bangladesh (APSB), DMCH, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Narmada Hadigal
- Narmada Fertility Centre, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
- International Trauma Anesthesia and Critical Care Society, Stavander, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Naveen Malhotra
- Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Nilmini Wijesuriya
- College of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of Sri Lanka, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
| | - Prateek Shukla
- India Hub, NIHR Health Research Unit On Global Surgery, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
| | - Sadaf Khan
- Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Sunil Pandya
- Department of Anaesthesia, Perioperative Medicine and Critical Care, AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Tariq Khan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Tashi Tenzin
- Army Medical Services, Military Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan
- Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan
- Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | | | - Daniel Peterson
- Global Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care, Chicago, IL, United States
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Smith ER, Espinoza P, Metcalf M, Ogbuoji O, Cotache-Condor C, Rice HE, Shrime MG. Modeling the global impact of reducing out-of-pocket costs for children's surgical care. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002872. [PMID: 38277421 PMCID: PMC10817198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Over 1.7 billion children lack access to surgical care, mostly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with substantial risks of catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) and impoverishment. Increasing interest in reducing out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures as a tool to reduce the rate of poverty is growing. However, the impact of reducing OOP expenditures on CHE remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to estimate the global impact of reducing OOP expenditures for pediatric surgical care on the risk of CHE within and between countries. Our goal was to estimate the impact of reducing OOP expenditures for surgical care in children for 149 countries by modeling the risk of CHE under various scale-up scenarios using publicly available World Bank data. Scenarios included reducing OOP expenditures from baseline levels to paying 70%, 50%, 30%, and 10% of OOP expenditures. We also compared the impact of these reductions across income quintiles (poorest, poor, middle, rich, richest) and differences by country income level (low-income, lower-middle-income, upper-middle-income, and high-income countries).Reducing OOP expenditures benefited people from all countries and income quintiles, although the benefits were not equal. The risk of CHE due to a surgical procedure for children was highest in low-income countries. An unexpected observation was that upper-middle income countries were at higher risk for CHE than LMICs. The most vulnerable regions were Africa and Latin America. Across all countries, the poorest quintile had the greatest risk for CHE. Increasing interest in financial protection programs to reduce OOP expenditures is growing in many areas of global health. Reducing OOP expenditures benefited people from all countries and income quintiles, although the benefits were not equal across countries, wealth groups, or even by wealth groups within countries. Understanding these complexities is critical to develop appropriate policies to minimize the risks of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R. Smith
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Pamela Espinoza
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Madeline Metcalf
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Osondu Ogbuoji
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Center for Policy Impact in Global Health, Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Population Health, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Cesia Cotache-Condor
- Duke Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Henry E. Rice
- Duke Center for Global Surgery and Health Equity, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Mark G. Shrime
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Mercy Ships, Tyler, Texas, United States of America
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Zadey S. Letter to Editor: Are LMICs Achieving the Lancet Commission Global Benchmark for Surgical Volumes? A Systematic Review. World J Surg 2023; 47:3437-3438. [PMID: 37528271 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-023-07136-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Siddhesh Zadey
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR) Office, D2 Sai Heritage, New DP Road, Aundh, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India.
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Batool S, Burks CA, Bergmark RW. Healthcare Disparities in Otolaryngology. CURRENT OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY REPORTS 2023; 11:1-14. [PMID: 37362031 PMCID: PMC10247342 DOI: 10.1007/s40136-023-00459-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The purpose of this review is to summarize some of the recent research studies on healthcare disparities across various subspecialties within otolaryngology. This review also highlights the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on disparities and proposes potential interventions to mitigate disparities. Recent Findings Significant healthcare disparities in care and treatment outcomes have been reported across all areas of otolaryngology. Notable differences in survival, disease recurrence, and overall mortality have been noted based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), insurance status, etc. This is most well-researched in head and neck cancer (HNC) within otolaryngology. Summary Healthcare disparities have been identified by numerous research studies within otolaryngology for many vulnerable groups that include racial and ethnic minority groups, low-income populations, and individuals from rural areas among many others. These populations continue to experience suboptimal access to timely, quality otolaryngologic care that exacerbate disparities in health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Batool
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Ciersten A. Burks
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Regan W. Bergmark
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 45 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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Zadey S, Iyer H, Nayan A, Shetty R, Sonal S, Smith ER, Staton CA, Fitzgerald TN, Nickenig Vissoci JR. Evaluating the status of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery indicators for India. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. SOUTHEAST ASIA 2023; 13:100178. [PMID: 37383563 PMCID: PMC10306037 DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2023.100178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
For universal surgical, obstetric, trauma, and anesthesia care by 2030, the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) suggested tracking six indicators. We reviewed academic and policy literature to investigate the current state of LCoGS indicators in India. There was limited primary data for access to timely essential surgery, risk of impoverishing and catastrophic health expenditures due to surgery, though some modeled estimates are present. Surgical specialist workforce estimates are heterogeneous across different levels of care, urban and rural areas, and diverse health sectors. Surgical volumes differ widely across demographic, socio-economic, and geographic cohorts. Perioperative mortality rates vary across procedures, diagnoses, and follow-up time periods. Available data suggest India falls short of achieving global targets. This review highlights the evidence gap for India's surgical care planning. India needs a systematic subnational mapping of indicators and adaptation of targets as per the country's health needs for equitable and sustainable planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhesh Zadey
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
- Global Emergency Medicine Innovation and Implementation Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
- Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital, and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, 411018, India
| | - Himanshu Iyer
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
| | - Anveshi Nayan
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
- Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400012, India
| | - Ritika Shetty
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
- Terna Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400706, India
| | - Swati Sonal
- Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR), Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
- Division of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Emily R. Smith
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
- Global Emergency Medicine Innovation and Implementation Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Catherine A. Staton
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
- Global Emergency Medicine Innovation and Implementation Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Tamara N. Fitzgerald
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Joao Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
- Global Emergency Medicine Innovation and Implementation Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27707, USA
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Smith ER, Kapoor P, Concepcion T, Ramirez T, Mohamed M, Dahir S, Cotache-Condor C, Adan Ismail E, Rice HE, Shrime MG. Does reducing out-of-pocket costs for children's surgical care protect families from poverty in Somaliland? A cross-sectional, national, economic evaluation modelling study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e069572. [PMID: 37130683 PMCID: PMC10163539 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES An estimated 1.7 billion children around the world do not have access to safe, affordable and timely surgical care, with the financing through out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses being one of the main barriers to care. Our study modelled the impact of reducing OOP costs related to surgical care for children in Somaliland on the risk of catastrophic expenditures and impoverishment. DESIGN AND SETTING This cross-sectional nationwide economic evaluation modelled several different approaches to reduction of paediatric OOP surgical costs in Somaliland. PARTICIPANTS AND OUTCOME MEASURES A surgical record review of all procedures on children up to 15 years old was conducted at 15 surgically capable hospitals. We modelled two rates of OOP cost reduction (reduction of OOP proportion from 70% to 50% and from 70% to 30% reduction in OOP costs) across five wealth quintiles (poorest, poor, neutral, rich, richest) and two geographical areas (urban and rural). The outcome measures of the study are catastrophic expenditures and risk of impoverishment due to surgery. We followed the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards. RESULTS We found that the risk of catastrophic and impoverishing expenditures related to OOP expenditures for paediatric surgery is high across Somaliland, but most notable in the rural areas and among the poorest quintiles. Reducing OOP expenses for surgical care to 30% would protect families in the richest wealth quintiles while minimally affecting the risk of catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment for those in the lowest wealth quintiles, particularly those in rural areas. CONCLUSION Our models suggest that the poorest communities in Somaliland lack protection against the risk of catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment, even if OOP payments are reduced to 30% of surgical costs. A comprehensive financial protection in addition to reduction of OOP costs is required to prevent risk of impoverishment in these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Smith
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Pranav Kapoor
- Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | - Tessa Concepcion
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Treasure Ramirez
- Department of Economics, Hanmaker School of Business, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | - Mubarak Mohamed
- Department of Surgery, Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | - Shukri Dahir
- Department of Surgery, Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | - Cesia Cotache-Condor
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Edna Adan Ismail
- Founder and Director, Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | - Henry E Rice
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mark G Shrime
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Mercy Ships, Tyler, Texas, USA
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Dahir S, Cotache-Condor C, Grimm A, Mohamed M, Rice H, Smith E, Ismail EA. Delays in care for hydrocephalus and spina bifida at a tertiary hospital in Somaliland. WORLD JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY 2023; 6:e000472. [PMID: 38328393 PMCID: PMC10848631 DOI: 10.1136/wjps-2022-000472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood neurosurgical conditions such as hydrocephalus and spina bifida represent a significant burden of death and disability worldwide, particularly in low and middle-income countries. However, there are limited data on the disease prevalence and delays in care for pediatric neurosurgical conditions in very low-resource settings. This study aims to characterize the delays in access to care for pediatric neurosurgical conditions in Somaliland. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all children with congenital hydrocephalus and spina bifida admitted to the Edna University Hospital (EAUH) in Somaliland between 2011 and 2018. Patient demographics were analyzed with descriptive statistics and χ2 test statistics. We defined delays in care for each condition based on standard care in high-income settings. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to evaluate predictors of delay in care. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results A total of 344 children were admitted to EAUH with neurosurgical conditions from 2011 to 2018. The most common condition was congenital hydrocephalus (62%). Delays in care were found for 90% of patients and were associated with the type of diagnosis and region. The longest delay among children with spina bifida was 60 months, while the longest delay for children with congenital hydrocephalus was 36 months. Children with congenital hydrocephalus or spina bifida traveling from foreign countries had the highest waiting time to receive care, with a median delay of 8 months (IQR: 5-11 months) and 4 months (IQR: 3-7 months), respectively. Conclusion We found significant delays in care for children with neurosurgical conditions in Somaliland. This country has an urgent need to scale up its surgical infrastructure, workforce, and referral pathways to address the needs of children with hydrocephalus and spina bifida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shukri Dahir
- Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | | | - Andie Grimm
- Department of Public Health, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | | | - Henry Rice
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Emily Smith
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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11
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Zadey S, Sonal S, Iyer H, Baxy H, Smith ER, Staton CA, Fitzgerald TN, Nickenig Vissoci JR. Roadblocks and solutions to planning surgical care for a billion Indians. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:bmjgh-2022-010292. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Vigliotti VS, Concepcion T, Mohamed M, Dahir S, Ismail EA, Poenaru D, Rice HE, Smith ER. Modeling the Scale-up of Surgical Services for Children with Surgically Treatable Congenital Conditions in Somaliland. World J Surg 2022; 46:2489-2497. [PMID: 35838776 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-022-06651-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital conditions comprise a significant portion of the global burden of surgical conditions in children. In Somaliland, over 250,000 children do not receive required surgical care annually, although the estimated costs and benefits of scale-up of children's surgical services to address this disease burden is not known. METHODS We developed a Markov model using a decision tree template to project the costs and benefits of scale-up of surgical care for children across Somaliland. We used a proxy set of congenital anomalies across Somaliland to estimate scale-up costs using three different scale-up rates. The cost-effectiveness ratio and net societal monetary benefit were estimated using these models, supported by disability weights in existing literature. RESULTS Overall, we found that scale-up of surgical services at an aggressive rate (22.5%) over a 10-year time horizon is cost effective. Although the scale-up of surgical care for most conditions in the proxy set was cost effective, scale-up of hydrocephalus and spina bifida are not as cost effective as other conditions. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis concludes that it is cost effective to scale-up surgical services for congenital anomalies for children in Somaliland.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shugri Dahir
- Edna Adan University Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland
| | | | | | - Henry E Rice
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Emily R Smith
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. .,Duke Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, USA.
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13
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Defining Surgical Workforce Density Targets to Meet Child and Neonatal Mortality Rate Targets in the Age of the Sustainable Development Goals: A Global Cross-Sectional Study. World J Surg 2022; 46:2262-2269. [PMID: 35752679 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-022-06626-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To reduce preventable deaths of newborns and children, the United Nations set a target rate per 1000 live births of 12 for neonatal mortality (NMR) and 25 for under-5 mortality (U5MR). The purpose of this paper is to define the minimum surgical workforce needed to meet these targets and evaluate the relative impact of increasing surgeon, anesthesia, and obstetrician (SAO) density on reducing child mortality. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of 192 countries to define the association between surgical workforce density and U5MR as well as NMR using unadjusted and adjusted B-spline regression, adjusting for common non-surgical causes of childhood mortality. We used these models to estimate the minimum surgical workforce to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs) for U5MR and NMR and marginal effects plots to determine over which range of SAO densities the largest impact is seen as countries scale-up SAO workforce. RESULTS We found that increased SAO density is associated with decreased U5MR and NMR (P < 0.05), adjusting for common non-surgical causes of child mortality. A minimum SAO density of 10 providers per 100,000 population (95% CI: 7-13) is associated with an U5MR of < 25 per 1000 live births. A minimum SAO density of 12 (95% CI: 9-20) is associated with an NMR of < 12 per 1000 live births. The maximum decrease in U5MR, on the basis of our adjusted B-spline model, occurs from 0 to 20 SAO per 100,000 population. The maximum decrease in NMR based on our adjusted B-spline model occurs up from 0 to 18 SAO, with additional decrease seen up to 80 SAO. CONCLUSIONS Scale-up of the surgical workforce to 12 SAO per 100,000 population may help health systems meet the SDG goals for childhood mortality rates. Increases in up to 80 SAO/100,000 continue to offer mortality benefit for neonates and would help to achieve the SDGs for neonatal mortality reduction.
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Alayande B, Chu KM, Jumbam DT, Kimto OE, Musa Danladi G, Niyukuri A, Anderson GA, El-Gabri D, Miranda E, Taye M, Tertong N, Yempabe T, Ntirenganya F, Byiringiro JC, Sule AZ, Kobusingye OC, Bekele A, Riviello RR. Disparities in Access to Trauma Care in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Narrative Review. CURRENT TRAUMA REPORTS 2022; 8:66-94. [PMID: 35692507 PMCID: PMC9168359 DOI: 10.1007/s40719-022-00229-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Sub-Saharan Africa is a diverse context with a large burden of injury and trauma-related deaths. Relative to high-income contexts, most of the region is less mature in prehospital and facility-based trauma care, education and training, and trauma care quality assurance. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes rising inequalities, both within and between countries as a deterrent to growth and development. While disparities in access to trauma care between the region and HICs are more commonly described, internal disparities are equally concerning. We performed a narrative review of internal disparities in trauma care access using a previously described conceptual model. Recent Findings A broad PubMed and EMBASE search from 2010 to 2021 restricted to 48 sub-Saharan African countries was performed. Records focused on disparities in access to trauma care were identified and mapped to de Jager’s four component framework. Search findings, input from contextual experts, comparisons based on other related research, and disaggregation of data helped inform the narrative. Only 21 studies were identified by formal search, with most focused on urban versus rural disparities in geographical access to trauma care. An additional 6 records were identified through citation searches and experts. Disparity in access to trauma care providers, detection of indications for trauma surgery, progression to trauma surgery, and quality care provision were thematically analyzed. No specific data on disparities in access to injury care for all four domains was available for more than half of the countries. From available data, socioeconomic status, geographical location, insurance, gender, and age were recognized disparity domains. South Africa has the most mature trauma systems. Across the region, high quality trauma care access is skewed towards the urban, insured, higher socioeconomic class adult. District hospitals are more poorly equipped and manned, and dedicated trauma centers, blood banks, and intensive care facilities are largely located within cities and in southern Africa. The largest geographical gaps in trauma care are presumably in central Africa, francophone West Africa, and conflict regions of East Africa. Disparities in trauma training opportunities, public–private disparities in provider availability, injury care provider migration, and several other factors contribute to this inequity. National trauma registries will play a role in internal inequity monitoring, and deliberate development implementation of National Surgical, Obstetrics, and Anesthesia plans will help address disparities. Human, systemic, and historical factors supporting these disparities including implicit and explicit bias must be clearly identified and addressed. Systems approaches, strategic trauma policy frameworks, and global and regional coalitions, as modelled by the Global Alliance for Care of the Injured and the Bellagio group, are key. Inequity in access can be reduced by prehospital initiatives, as used in Ghana, and community-based insurance, as modelled by Rwanda. Summary Sub-Saharan African countries have underdeveloped trauma systems. Consistent in the narrative is the rural-urban disparity in trauma care access and the disadvantage of the poor. Further research is needed in view of data disparity. Recognition of these disparities should drive creative equitable solutions and focused interventions, partnerships, accompaniment, and action. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40719-022-00229-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barnabas Alayande
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kathryn M. Chu
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | | | - Alliance Niyukuri
- Hope Africa University, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Mercy Surgeons-Burundi, Research Department, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Mercy James Center for Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care-Blantyre, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Geoffrey A. Anderson
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Deena El-Gabri
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Elizabeth Miranda
- Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Mulat Taye
- School of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Ngyal Tertong
- International Fellow, Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Department of Orthopaedics, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tolgou Yempabe
- Orthopaedic and Trauma Unit, Department of Surgery, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Faustin Ntirenganya
- University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- NIHR Research Hub On Global Surgery, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Jean Claude Byiringiro
- University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Kigali, Rwanda
- NIHR Research Hub On Global Surgery, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Olive C. Kobusingye
- Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
- George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Abebe Bekele
- Center for Equity in Global Surgery, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
- School of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Robert R. 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, MA USA
- Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
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Samper AFG, Herrera-Almario GE, Tulloch D, Blanco D, Cardoso LL, Rocha REN, Rajan R, Gracias V, Hanna JS. A granular analysis of service delivery for surgical system strengthening: Application of the Lancet indicators for policy development in Colombia. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2022; 10:100217. [PMID: 36777688 PMCID: PMC9904114 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2022.100217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) surgical indicators have given the surgical community metrics for objectively characterizing the disparity in access to surgical healthcare. However, aggregate national statistics lack sufficient specificity to inform strengthening plans at the community level. We performed a second-stage analysis of Colombian surgical system service delivery to inform the development of resource- and context-sensitive interventions to inform a revision of the Decennial Public Health Plan for access inequity resolution. METHODS Data from the year 2016 to inform total operative volume (TOV) and 30-day non-risk adjusted peri-operative mortality (POMR) were collected from the Colombian national health information system. TOV and POMR were sub-characterized by demographics, urgency, service line, disease pathology and facility location. FINDINGS In 2016, aggregate national mortality was 0·87%, while mortality attributable to elective and emergency surgery was 0·73% and 1·30%, respectively. The elderly experienced a 5·6-fold higher mortality, with 4·2% undergoing an operation within 30 days of dying. Individuals undergoing hepatobiliary, thoracic, cardiac, and neurosurgical operations experienced the highest mortality rates while obstetrics, general surgery, orthopaedics, and urology performed the largest procedure volume. Finally, analysis of operation and service line specific POMR reveals opportunities for improvement. INTERPRETATION This granular second-stage analysis provides actionable data which is fundamental to the development of resource and context-sensitive interventions to address gaps and inequities in surgical system service delivery. Furthermore, this analysis validates the modeling underlying development of the LCoGS indicators. These data will inform the assessment of implementation priorities and revision of the Colombian Decennial Public Health Plan. FUNDING None.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel E. Herrera-Almario
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - David Tulloch
- Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Daniela Blanco
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - Roshni Rajan
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 125 Paterson St., Suite 6300, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Vicente Gracias
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 125 Paterson St., Suite 6300, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
- Rutgers Global Health Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Joseph S. Hanna
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 125 Paterson St., Suite 6300, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
- Rutgers Global Health Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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Caviglia M, Putoto G, Conti A, Tognon F, Jambai A, Vandy MJ, Youkee D, Buson R, Pini S, Rosi P, Hubloue I, Della Corte F, Ragazzoni L, Barone-Adesi F. Association between ambulance prehospital time and maternal and perinatal outcomes in Sierra Leone: a countrywide study. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:e007315. [PMID: 34844999 PMCID: PMC8634006 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sierra Leone, one of the countries with the highest maternal and perinatal mortality in the world, launched its first National Emergency Medical Service (NEMS) in 2018. We carried out a countrywide assessment to analyse NEMS operational times for obstetric emergencies in respect the access to timely essential surgery within 2 hours. Moreover, we evaluated the relationship between operational times and maternal and perinatal mortality. METHODS We collected prehospital data of 6387 obstetric emergencies referrals from primary health units to hospital facilities between June 2019 and May 2020 and we estimated the proportion of referrals with a prehospital time (PT) within 2 hours. The association between PT and mortality was investigated using Poisson regression models for binary data. RESULTS At the national level, the proportion of emergency obstetric referrals with a PT within 2 hours was 58.5% (95% CI 56.9% to 60.1%) during the rainy season and 61.4% (95% CI 59.5% to 63.2%) during the dry season. Results were substantially different between districts, with the capital city of Freetown reporting more than 90% of referrals within the benchmark and some rural districts less than 40%. Risk of maternal death at 60, 120 and 180 min of PT was 1.8%, 3.8% and 4.3%, respectively. Corresponding figures for perinatal mortality were 16%, 18% and 25%. CONCLUSION NEMS operational times for obstetric emergencies in Sierra Leone vary greatly and referral transports in rural areas struggle to reach essential surgery within 2 hours. Maternal and perinatal risk of death increased concurrently with operational times, even beyond the 2-hour target, therefore, any reduction of the time to reach the hospital, may translate into improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Caviglia
- CRIMEDIM - Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro Scuola di Medicina, Novara, Italy
| | - Giovanni Putoto
- Research Section, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padova, Veneto, Italy
| | - Andrea Conti
- CRIMEDIM - Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro Scuola di Medicina, Novara, Italy
| | - Francesca Tognon
- Research Section, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padova, Veneto, Italy
| | - Amara Jambai
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Government of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Western Area, Sierra Leone
| | - Matthew Jusu Vandy
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Government of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Western Area, Sierra Leone
| | - Daniel Youkee
- School of population health and environmental sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Riccardo Buson
- Research Section, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padova, Veneto, Italy
- Cuamm Medical Doctors for Africa, Padova, Veneto, Italy
| | - Sara Pini
- Research Section, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padova, Veneto, Italy
- Cuamm Medical Doctors for Africa, Padova, Veneto, Italy
| | - Paolo Rosi
- SUEM 118 - Servizio Urgenza Emergenza Medica, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Venezia, Veneto, Italy
| | - Ives Hubloue
- Research Group on Emergency and Disaster Medicine, VUB, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Francesco Della Corte
- CRIMEDIM - Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro Scuola di Medicina, Novara, Italy
| | - Luca Ragazzoni
- CRIMEDIM - Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro Scuola di Medicina, Novara, Italy
| | - Francesco Barone-Adesi
- CRIMEDIM - Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro Scuola di Medicina, Novara, Italy
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Undergraduate Surgical Education: a Global Perspective. Indian J Surg 2021; 84:153-161. [PMID: 34177158 PMCID: PMC8219345 DOI: 10.1007/s12262-021-02975-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Undergraduate surgical education is failing to prepare medical students to care for patients with surgical conditions, and has been significantly compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a literature review and undertook semi-structured reflections on the current state of undergraduate surgical education across five countries: Egypt, Morocco, Somaliland, Kenya, and the UK. The main barriers to surgical education at medical school identified were (1) the lack of standardised surgical curricula with mandatory learning objectives and (2) the inadequacy of human resources for surgical education. COVID-19 has exacerbated these challenges by depleting the pool of surgical educators and reducing access to learning opportunities in clinical environments. To address the global need for a larger surgical workforce, specific attention must be paid to improving undergraduate surgical education. Solutions proposed include the development of a standard surgical curriculum with learning outcomes appropriate for local needs, the incentivisation of surgical educators, the incorporation of targeted online and simulation teaching, and the use of technology.
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