A roadmap for starting, growing and sustaining a comprehensive pediatric surgery service in a low resource area
Gerlin Naidoo1, Godfrey Sama Philipo2, Zaitun Bokhary3
1Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, UK.
Insights
The Tanzania-Oxford Children's Surgery Partnership strengthened pediatric surgical systems in Tanzania over 21 years. This collaboration enhanced surgical workforce, infrastructure, and research, improving children's access to surgery.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Surgical Systems Strengthening
- Pediatric Surgery Capacity Building
Background:
- A 21-year collaboration between Tanzania and Oxford focused on pediatric surgery.
- The partnership evolved from service delivery to comprehensive surgical system strengthening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the historical development and key strategies of the Tanzania-Oxford Children's Surgery Partnership.
- To highlight the impact of capacity building and research collaboration on pediatric surgical care in Tanzania.
Main Methods:
- Long-term, non-hierarchical partnership model.
- Focus on workforce development (surgeons, nurses, anesthetists, pediatricians).
- Infrastructure upgrades and establishment of a pediatric research network.
Main Results:
- Increased number of pediatric surgeons and upskilled healthcare professionals.
- Significant increase in operative volume and introduction of minimally invasive surgery.
- Established a research network promoting equity, local data ownership, and prolific academic output.
Conclusions:
- Sustainable change in children's surgery requires local leadership, long-term commitment, and a 'bottom-up' approach.
- The partnership successfully advanced pediatric surgical system strengthening in Tanzania.
- The model demonstrates effective capacity building for universal surgical provision.
Abstract:
The Tanzania-Oxford Children's Surgery Partnership is a longstanding capacity building and research collaboration. Over a 21-year period, this non-hierarchical partnership has worked to develop from service delivery to children surgical system strengthening in Tanzania. This has directly impacted the children's surgery and workforce by increasing the number of pediatric surgeons in the country and upskilling nurses, anesthetists, and pediatricians. Clinical skills acquisition has been complemented by the development of leadership, mentorship, and research acumen. The partnership has also delivered critical upgrading of infrastructure which has significantly increased operative volume and allowed for the provision of minimally invasive children's surgery. A children's research network has been established, with a focus on research equity and local data ownership adhering to local ethics, leading to prolific academic output. At the core of this partnership has been the recognition that achieving sustainable change requires local leadership, long-term commitment, and 'bottom-up' change. We described the historical events and steps taken by our partners to achieve the universal provision of children's surgery in Tanzania.
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