( MENAFN - African Press Organization) By Dr Walt Johnson, National and International Advocacy Manager, Mercy Ships ( ). Last month, 40 African health Ministers signed important agreements at the Pan-African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF) in Rwanda. These agreements are a big step towards making surgical care accessible to more people across Africa.
In the near future, the goal is to have these formally adopted by the African Union (UA). This journey is one that Mercy Ships, the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), the Rwanda Ministry of Health, and Smile Train walked together – to support and host this recent PASHeF meeting. Dr.
Walt Johnson shares his thoughts on why these efforts are so important and why collaboration is vital for saving lives. When discussing global health crises, it is common to think of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Yet, what many don't realize is that almost five times as many people die each year due to a lack of access to surgical care and anaesthesia than from these diseases combined (Lancet Commission on Global Surgery).
This is a silent crisis. The African continent suffers from the lowest access to surgery because many hospitals do not have basic infrastructure like running water and electricity, and there are very few surgeons and anaesthesiologists available. Additionally, patients often struggle to reach medical facilities due to poor transportation, and if they do, many cannot afford care or do not .
