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A Lancet Commission on Global Surgery has just published a 56 page article about the need to improve access to surgery and anesthesia care. Its five key messages are:
- 5 billion people lack access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when needed
- 143 million additional surgical procedures are needed each year to save lives and prevent disability
- 33 million individuals face catastrophic health expenditure due to payment for surgery and anaesthesia each year
- Investment in surgical and anaesthesia services is affordable, saves lives, and promotes economic growth
- Surgery is an indivisible, indispensable part of health care
The need for high quality acute care, both for urgencies and emergencies, is clearly an important component of providing “universal access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care”- the vision of the Commission.
References
Global Surgery 2030: evidence and solutions for achieving health, welfare, and economic development: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60160-X
Global surgery—going beyond the Lancet Commission: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60465-2