What is Global Surgery?
Previously defined, it is an area of study, research, practice and advocacy that seeks to improve health outcomes and achieve health equity for all people who need surgical and anesthesia care, with a special emphasis on underserved populations and populations in crisis. It uses collaborative, cross sectorial, and transnational approaches and is a synthesis of population based strategies with individual surgical and anesthesia care. (Kaplan et al Lancet 2009). Most recently defined as the art and science of surgical practice in pursuit of excellent patient care through the mitigation of the inequity in the distribution of worldwide surgical resources. (Schecter WP. JAMA 2015).
The Lancet Commission on surgery 2030 states that 5 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe, affordable surgical and anesthesia care when needed. Access is worse in low-income and LMIC where 9/10 people cannot access basic surgical care. 143 million additional procedures are needed in the low middle income countries each year to save lives and prevent disability. Of the 313 million procedures undertaken worldwide each year, only 6% is done in the poorest countries where a third of the world’s population lives. 33 million individuals face catastrophic health expenditure due to payment for surgery and anesthesia each year.
An additional 48 million of catastrophic expenditure are attributable to the non-medical costs of accessing surgical care. Investing on surgical services in LMICs is affordable, saves lives and promotes economic growth. To meet present and projected population demands, urgent investment in human and physical resources for surgical and anesthesia care is needed. Without urgent and accelerated investment in surgical scale-up, LMIC will continue to have losses in economic productivity, estimated cumulatively at 12.3 trillion USD between 2015-2030. Surgery is an indivisible, indispensable part of health care. Surgical and anesthesia care should be an integral component of a national health system in countries at all levels of development. Notable gains have been made in global health in the past 30 years, but progress has not been uniform. Mortality and morbidity from common conditions needing surgery have grown in the world’s poorest regions, both in real terms and relative to other health gains. At the same time, the development of safe, essential, life-saving surgical and anesthesia care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has stagnated or regressed. In the absence of surgical care, case-fatality rates are high for common, easily treatable conditions including appendicitis, hernia, fractures, obstructed labor, congenital anomalies, and breast and cervical cancer. Rates of death and disability from treatable surgical conditions continue to be unacceptably high. Women in Somalia have a one in 22 lifetime risk of maternal death making the maternal mortality rates in Somalia amongst the highest in the world. It’s estimated that the maternal mortality ratio is 732 deaths per 100,000 live births. The leading causes of maternal death (antepartum and postpartum hemorrhage, obstructed labor, and eclampsia) can all be addressed with appropriate emergency obstetric care, which often requires surgical and anesthetic interventions. Trauma, as a consequence of, armed fighting and explosions, and road traffic accidents, is also common in our country.
About Symposium
This symposium targets a varied national audience of specialists, and students, introducing them to basic concepts of global surgery, as well as its most recent developments and future steps to be taken by both the international community and local stakeholders. Speakers will include Somali Surgery experts from all over the country; surgeons, anesthesiologists, and obstetricians with both in-field and academic experience, in addition to public health, international organizations, and civil society. The Somalia global surgery symposium is the prime focused Somali surgery symposium, organized by incision Somalia. The symposium provides a forum for students, residents, and surgeons to meet and work together to advance safe surgery and anesthesia and train future global surgery advocates thus improving health for all. The one day event will include plenary sessions, panel discussions, and opportunities for networking and mentoring.
Symposium Objectives
- To raise awareness of existing Surgical challenges in Somalia.
- Improving the quality of Surgical operations to the highest possible standards
- Motivate researchers, hospitals, diagnostic & Pharmaceutical organizations, and other health workers for their contribution to accessible, affordable safe surgery
- Provide a professional forum to discuss and apply the most recent knowledge pertaining to national, international, and local quality and safety initiatives in the field of surgery.
- Enhance the learning experience by offering breakout sessions that educate attendees on the surgery specialty of their choice with consideration of their level of programmatic experience.
- To raise a voice to Somali Leaders and stakeholders to improve the surgical system
Symposium Methodology
The Somali global surgery symposium will gather different groups of participants, including students, young doctors, academicians, and government decision-makers along with a massive number of audiences. A higher learning symposium to intensely engage in a lengthy discussion, exchange and appreciate ideas, enhance learning abilities and contribute to develop accessible safe surgical system in Somalia.
Target Audience
150-200 participants and guests will be invited to the symposium. They will include medical students, residents, and specialists in the field of surgery, anesthesia, obstetrics, and gynecology. All interested students and other professionals from different regions and states will be joining our upcoming event. Also, the Ministry of Health, Health professionals, Hospitals, Clinics, Health insurance Companies, Humanitarian Organizations, Diagnostic centers, Pharmaceutical companies, and Medical Suppliers/distributors will be invited.