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Prevalence of Paediatric Surgical Conditions in Eastern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study
Mary Margaret Ajiko1,2, Viking Weidman3, Pär Nordin4
1Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden. strmaryajiko@gmail.com.
Insights
Paediatric surgical conditions are common in Eastern Uganda, with a significant unmet need for treatment. Addressing this is crucial for child health and achieving global development goals.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Paediatric Surgery
- Public Health
Background:
- Surgery's role in global health is increasingly recognized.
- Millions of children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) require surgical care.
- Data on paediatric surgical conditions in LMICs is scarce.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of paediatric surgical conditions in Eastern Uganda.
- To assess the unmet need for paediatric surgical interventions in the region.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted in Eastern Uganda.
- A two-stage cluster sampling method selected 490 households.
- 1581 children were interviewed, and 1054 underwent physical examination.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of any surgical condition was 16.0% among examined children.
- Congenital anomalies and trauma were the most common conditions.
- A 6.3% prevalence of unmet surgical need was identified.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric surgical conditions are prevalent in Eastern Uganda.
- There is a substantial unmet need for paediatric surgery.
- Strengthening healthcare systems is vital to meet the growing demand and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.
Background:
The role of surgery in global health has gained greater attention in recent years. Approximately 1.8 billion children below 15 years live in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Many surgical conditions affect children. Therefore, paediatric surgery requires specific emphasis. Left unattended, the consequences can be dire. Despite this, there is a paucity of data regarding prevalence of surgical conditions in children in LMIC. The present objective was to investigate the prevalence of paediatric surgical conditions in children in a defined geographical area in Eastern Uganda.
Method:
A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site located in Eastern Uganda. Through a two-stage, cluster-based sampling process, 490 households from 49 villages were randomly selected, generating a study population of 1581 children. The children's caregivers were interviewed, and the children were physically examined by two medical doctors to identify any surgical conditions.
Results:
The interview was performed with 1581 children, and 1054 were physically examined. Among these, the overall prevalence of any surgical condition was 16.0 per cent (n = 169). Of these, 39 per cent had an unmet surgical need (66 of 169). This is equivalent to a 6.3 per cent prevalence of current unmet surgical need. The most common groups of surgical condition were congenital anomalies and trauma-related conditions.
Conclusion:
Surgical conditions in children are common in eastern Uganda. The unmet need for surgery is high. With a growing population, the need for paediatric surgical capacity will increase even further. The health care system must be reinforced to provide services for children with surgical conditions if United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 3 is to be achieved by 2030.
