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Pediatric Surgery and Anesthesia in Low-Middle Income Countries: Current Situation and Ethical Challenges
Rebecca Pulvirenti1, Marianna Gortan1, Dioniso Cumba2
1Pediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Woman's and Child's Health, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy.
Insights
Pediatric surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) faces growing demand due to population increases. Enhancing local expertise, infrastructure, and access to care, supported by global partnerships, is crucial to meet this need.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Pediatric Surgery
- Healthcare Access
Background:
- Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a growing pediatric population.
- This demographic shift exacerbates the existing deficit in pediatric surgical and anesthetic care.
- There is a widening gap between the need for and availability of essential pediatric surgical services in LMICs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the current state of pediatric surgery in LMICs.
- To explore the impact and role of international aid in developing pediatric surgical services.
- To identify key areas for improvement in expertise, infrastructure, and access to care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on pediatric surgery in LMICs.
- Analysis of 20 years of experience from humanitarian surgical missions.
- Qualitative assessment of challenges and opportunities in resource-limited settings.
Main Results:
- Significant disparities exist in pediatric surgical care availability and quality across LMICs.
- Educational programs and infrastructure development are critical for advancing pediatric surgery.
- Effective international aid requires strategic focus on local capacity building and sustainable solutions.
Conclusions:
- Addressing the increasing need for pediatric surgery in LMICs requires a multi-faceted approach.
- Investment in training local healthcare professionals and improving healthcare infrastructure is paramount.
- Collaborative efforts, including Western aid, are vital for enhancing pediatric surgical outcomes in resource-limited settings.
Abstract:
Low-middle income countries (LMICs) are currently experiencing an important population growth, leading to a substantial raise in the number of children living in those areas. As a consequence, the existing gap between the need for surgical and anesthetic care and the available therapeutic options will increase. To overcome this, an improvement in the available expertise, infrastructures, and supplies will be mandatory. The implementation of educational and training programs for local healthcare providers should be a top priority. Alongside, the population's awareness on the necessity to seek for medical care should be deployed, together with an eased access to health facilities. Based on the existing literature and our 20-years' experience in humanitarian missions, our article aims to investigate the status of pediatric surgery in LMICs, and the role of western aids in the implementation of this ever-increasing field of expertise.
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