TY - JOUR
T1 - The pediatric surgery workforce in low- and middle-income countries
T2 - Problems and priorities
AU - Krishnaswami, Sanjay
AU - Nwomeh, Benedict C.
AU - Ameh, Emmanuel A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2016/2/1
Y1 - 2016/2/1
N2 - Most of the world is in a surgical workforce crisis. While a lack of human resources is only one component of the myriad issues affecting surgical care in resource-poor regions, it is arguably the most consequential. This article examines the current state of the pediatric surgical workforce in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the reasons for the current shortfalls. We also note progress that has been made in capacity building and discuss priorities going forward. The existing literature on this subject has naturally focused on regions with the greatest workforce needs, particularly sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, wherever possible we have included workforce data and related literature from LMICs worldwide. The pediatric surgeon is of course critically dependent on multi-disciplinary teams. Surgeons in high-income countries (HICs) often take for granted the ready availability of excellent anesthesia providers, surgically trained nurses, radiologists, pathologists, and neonatologists among many others. While the need exists to examine all of these disciplines and their contribution to the delivery of surgical services for children in LMICs, for the purposes of this review, we will focus primarily on the role of the pediatric surgeon.
AB - Most of the world is in a surgical workforce crisis. While a lack of human resources is only one component of the myriad issues affecting surgical care in resource-poor regions, it is arguably the most consequential. This article examines the current state of the pediatric surgical workforce in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the reasons for the current shortfalls. We also note progress that has been made in capacity building and discuss priorities going forward. The existing literature on this subject has naturally focused on regions with the greatest workforce needs, particularly sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, wherever possible we have included workforce data and related literature from LMICs worldwide. The pediatric surgeon is of course critically dependent on multi-disciplinary teams. Surgeons in high-income countries (HICs) often take for granted the ready availability of excellent anesthesia providers, surgically trained nurses, radiologists, pathologists, and neonatologists among many others. While the need exists to examine all of these disciplines and their contribution to the delivery of surgical services for children in LMICs, for the purposes of this review, we will focus primarily on the role of the pediatric surgeon.
KW - Financing pediatric surgery
KW - Global child health
KW - Global pediatric surgery
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U2 - 10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2015.09.007
DO - 10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2015.09.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 26831136
AN - SCOPUS:84959176621
SN - 1055-8586
VL - 25
SP - 32
EP - 42
JO - Seminars in Pediatric Surgery
JF - Seminars in Pediatric Surgery
IS - 1
ER -