Strengthening the innovation ecosystem to address global surgical needs - A consensus statement from the Innovations...

The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) highlighted a critical gap in global health by emphasising the lack of access to safe surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). With five billion people unable to access safe and affordable surgical care, the commission called for innovations tailored to local needs rather than high-income solutions. The Karad Consensus further emphasised the need for context-specific solutions for India's rural populations, advocating for innovative approaches to tackle surgical disparities. Inspired by these calls, the Innovations in Global Surgery (IGS) group was formed, aiming to foster a multidisciplinary and collaborative ecosystem to address surgical access challenges in LMICs.

This consensus statement, derived from three international conferences, explores key challenges and offers actionable solutions in areas such as context-specific surgical needs, training, communication between medical and engineering professionals, funding, credibility building, and regulatory processes.

The IGS group emphasises the importance of inclusive and frugal innovations that involve end-users and respond to the unique challenges of resource-limited settings. It aims to bridge the gap between disciplines and regions, ensuring that new technologies and practices can be effectively adapted and scaled to meet the needs of underserved populations. The proposed action items will be tested and refined over the coming years to enhance global surgical care and improve health equity.

This consensus statement serves as a roadmap for driving sustainable, context-aware innovations in global surgery, leveraging the expertise of multidisciplinary stakeholders and creating a platform for continuous collaboration and knowledge sharing.