Awuah WA, Adebusoye FT, Ferreira T, Azeem S, Bharadwaj HR, Akpan AA, Wellington J, Zia MR, Kumar H, Khalid A, Abdul-Rahman T, Isik A. The unmet surgical needs of global refugee populations: A perspective review.
SAGE Open Med 2023;
11:20503121231204492. [PMID:
37829288 PMCID:
PMC10566266 DOI:
10.1177/20503121231204492]
[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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The global refugee community, including those forced to flee due to persecution, conflict, or violence, faces significant challenges in accessing healthcare, resulting in a higher prevalence of surgical disease. These challenges have a profound impact on morbidity and mortality rates, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where many immigrants seek refuge. Limited availability of medical facilities, an inadequate surgical workforce, financial constraints and linguistic and cultural barriers all contribute to reduced access to healthcare. Limited access to competent healthcare leads to poor health outcomes, increased morbidity and mortality rates and suboptimal surgical results for refugees. To address these challenges, a multifaceted approach is necessary. This includes increased funding for healthcare initiatives, workforce recruitment and training and improved coordination between aid organisations and local healthcare systems. Strategies for managing surgical conditions in the global refugee community encompass the development of targeted public health programmes, removing legal barriers, establishing healthcare facilities to enhance surgical access and prioritising disease prevention among refugees.
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