Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2025
Subcostal Specimen Removal in Completely Portal Robotic Lobectomy
Published on: April 19, 2024
The Disproportionate Surgical Burden Borne by Children in Regions of Armed Conflict
Maryam Sherwani1, Richard Stewart2, Lubna Samad2,3
1Department of Global Surgery, Interactive Research Development (IRD) Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan.
Insights
Children in conflict zones face immense surgical needs due to war. Limited data and damaged healthcare systems create a critical gap in care for these vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric surgery
- Global health
- Conflict medicine
Background:
- Modern warfare significantly impacts children's well-being, creating a substantial surgical burden.
- Children in conflict zones experience severe mental, physical, social, and economic consequences.
- Understanding the surgical needs of children in conflict is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on the surgical needs of children affected by conflict.
- To identify challenges in accessing surgical care in conflict zones.
- To highlight the impact of war on pediatric surgical care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and analysis of primary data sources.
- Examination of the impact of war on pediatric surgical burden.
- Focus on six conflict-affected countries: DRC, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza.
Main Results:
- Limited direct data exists on children's surgical needs in war zones.
- Evidence of child displacement and grave violations, including maiming, indicates severe need.
- Conflict renders approximately 50% of hospitals nonoperational, decreasing capacity while demand rises.
Conclusions:
- Urgent need for systematic data collection on the surgical burden in conflict-affected children.
- Evidence-based advocacy is essential for improved services.
- Enforcement of international conventions protecting children in conflict is vital.
Background:
Modern warfare disproportionately affects children, severely impacting their mental, physical, social, and economic well-being. Specifically, children in areas of conflict bear a significant surgical burden. We aim to review literature to better understand the surgical needs of children attributable to conflict and the challenges faced in receiving surgical care in conflict zones.
Methods:
A review of literature and primary data sources was conducted to examine the impact of war on the surgical burden faced by children in six countries facing active conflict: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza.
Results:
There is limited data directly documenting the surgical needs of children in war zones; however, extensive displacement and evidence of unprecedented grave violations against children, including maiming, indicates the gravity of the situation. On average, 50% of hospitals are rendered nonoperational due to conflict; the rise in demand for surgical care due to conflict is thus paralleled by a decrease in health system capacity, creating a worsening cycle of unmet need.
Conclusions:
There is an urgent need for systematic data collection documenting the health, and specifically surgical burden faced by children in conflict-affected areas. Evidence can drive advocacy for improved services and the enforcement of conventions protecting children in conflict.
More Related Videos
08:26Clinical Application of Single-Surgeon, Three-Port, Laparoscopic Resection for Colorectal Cancer with Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction
Published on: March 24, 2023
15:18Making MR Imaging Child's Play - Pediatric Neuroimaging Protocol, Guidelines and Procedure
Published on: July 30, 2009
