Pass a Resolution for Access to Essential Surgical Care for All
As a young surgeon posted in Central African Republic, I was most touched by a 14 year old girl who presented with obstructed labor that had progressed to sepsis. Had she had access to timely and essential surgical care, we would have saved both her and her baby.
Predictions by the World Bank suggest that by 2026, surgical diseases will be a greater contributor to the global burden of disease than HIV/AIDs, TB and Malaria combined.
Currently, very little investments have been made to build the world’s capacity to provide essential surgical care.
As a global community, we continue to fall short in providing essential surgical care. As a result, 2 million lives per year are lost following injury, more than 100’000 women per year die from complications of pregnancy, and over 2 million women live with debilitating obstetric fistulas with devastating economic and social consequences.
Access to essential surgical care is critical to creating healthy communities around the world and should be an integral part of universal healthcare.
Make a difference. Sign the petition to pass a resolution for Access to Essential Surgical Care at the World Health Assembly 2014.change.org
