Surgical task-sharing in Sierra Leone: barriers and enablers from provider and facilitator perspectives

To mitigate the critical surgeon shortage in Sierra Leone, a surgical training programme was launched in 2011, training associate alinicians in surgery and obstetrics through task-sharing. While graduates of this programme now perform most surgeries outside the capital, they continue to face significant barriers to integration within the national health system.

We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with surgical providers (n=12) and facilitators (n=10) to identify barriers and enablers of surgical task-sharing in Sierra Leone's health system. Providers and facilitators were selected from three geographically diverse hospitals with varying healthcare worker densities and also included district medical officers and representatives from the Ministry of Health and United Nations Population Fund. Data were analysed using descriptive qualitative content analysis, categorising themes into institutional, interpersonal, resource-related and sociocultural factors.

In total, 18 barriers and 21 enablers to surgical task-sharing were identified. Associate clinicians play a critical role in surgical care in underserved regions, help alleviate physician burnout and foster teamwork. Increasing support from younger doctors and hospital administrators signals growing acceptance. Yet, challenges such as exclusion from the healthcare service scheme, inadequate compensation, lack of training accreditation, reliance on external funding, limited national engagement and medical protectionism contribute to demotivation and attrition. These findings highlight the indispensable role of associate clinicians while emphasising the need for systemic reforms to maximise the impact of task-sharing.

Enhancing institutional support, implementing rigorous regulatory frameworks and expanding training opportunities for physicians within the surgical training programme are essential measures to optimise the benefits of task-sharing, sustain the provision of high-quality care and improve surgical outcomes.