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Surgery and the first 8000 days of life: a review

Justina Seyi-Olajide1, Abdelbasit Ali2, William F Powell3

  • 1Pediatric Surgery Unit, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.

International Health
|November 18, 2024
PubMed

Insights

The first 8000 days of life are crucial for child development, yet 1.7 billion children, mostly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), lack access to essential pediatric surgical care, leading to preventable deaths and disabilities.

Area of Science:

  • Global Health
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • The first 8000 days of life (birth to age 21) are critical for child development and well-being.
  • Global health initiatives have historically prioritized the first 1000 days, neglecting the subsequent 7000 days.
  • A significant burden of untreated surgical conditions affects children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the unmet need for pediatric surgical care in LMICs.
  • To underscore the importance of addressing surgical conditions beyond the first 1000 days.
  • To advocate for increased investment and improved access to pediatric surgery in LMICs.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of global data on pediatric surgical access and unmet needs.
  • Review of common pediatric surgical conditions and their impact in LMICs.
  • Examination of economic benefits and required investments for expanding surgical care.

Main Results:

  • Approximately 1.7 billion children globally lack access to essential surgical care, with 85% of this unmet need in LMICs.
  • Untreated congenital anomalies, injuries, infections, and cancers contribute to substantial child mortality and disability.
  • Pediatric surgical interventions are cost-effective and yield significant societal benefits.

Conclusions:

  • Expanding pediatric surgical services in LMICs requires investment in workforce, infrastructure, and health systems.
  • Prioritizing children's surgery in national health policies and global initiatives is essential for improving outcomes and achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Addressing the surgical care gap is crucial for reducing preventable mortality, enhancing quality of life, and ensuring universal health coverage for children.

Keywords:
children's surgical careglobal healthlow- and middle-income countriessustainable development goals

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