Global Surgery: Could systems thinking be the key to success?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Global Surgery
• Health Systems Strengthening

Background:

• Global public health has historically focused on maternal/child health and communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Surgery and anesthesia care are increasingly recognized as critical components of global health, impacting survival and quality of life across all age groups.
• Global Surgery (GS) initiatives have successfully identified knowledge, policy, and advocacy gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline a shared vision and priorities for providing safe and affordable surgical and anesthesia care in LMICs.
• To transition Global Surgery efforts from problem identification to solution design and implementation.
• To promote a systematic thinking approach to amplify the impact of Global Surgery initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Developing a shared vision for global surgical and anesthesia care.
• Implementing solutions to address identified gaps in LMICs.
• Utilizing systematic thinking to foster multidisciplinary coalitions and cross-level interactions.

Main Results:

• Global Surgery is transitioning from identifying problems to implementing solutions.
• A shared vision can prioritize efforts for safe and affordable surgical and anesthesia care.
• Systematic thinking can enhance the impact of Global Surgery by building coalitions and interactions.

Conclusions:

• Global Surgery is crucial for improving health outcomes in LMICs.
• A strategic, collaborative approach is needed to provide equitable surgical and anesthesia care.
• Systematic thinking and multidisciplinary coalitions are key to advancing Global Surgery.