Why political goodwill is the key to elevating surgical and anaesthesia capacity

 

At one point or another, many of us have been asked by relatives and friends to contribute towards surgical treatment, often for a family member who needs to travel abroad for specialised surgical treatment. Millions of families in low-resource settings cave under the astronomical cost of paying for a loved one’s surgery. The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) estimates that 33 million people are affected by such costs. The economic impact can be devastating, with families forced to sell livelihoods and property to pay for surgical care. However, surgical care requires far less investment than Malaria and Tuberculosis combined.  How can this narrative be changed? Political will to institutionalize surgical and anaesthesia care is key.