| 11
work and dedication of numerous groups and individuals, including the thousands of frontline providers in
LMICs. The year 2014 and early 2015 saw several worldwide events unfold that complemented and catalyzed
the work of LCoGS. A World Health Assembly Resolution on essential surgery gained momentum with multi-country support; in January it was passed by the World
Health Organization Executive Board and at press time
was scheduled to go for a final vote in May. 6 At the same
time, 2015 has thus far marked a transition to a collection of health and development targets aimed broadly
at poverty reduction, universal health care, and equity.
The initial LCoGS launch took place in London on
April 27 and 28, in collaboration with the Royal Society of Medicine. The second launch followed shortly
after wards in Boston, MA, in May. These launches represent the culmination of more than two years of work
by hundreds of people in more than 110 countries, four
international meetings, and multiple regional events—
all of which represents a broad, purposeful, and critical
outreach effort.
The launch events in London and Boston signified the
beginning of LCoGS’ education and advocacy efforts to
highlight the pivotal role of surgical care in strengthening global health care systems. The formal commission
report is only one part of the initial commission product. A dozen open-access, business-style teaching cases
have been published to provide an educational framework focused on global surgery topics. In addition, 61
abstracts were presented at the launch in London and
published in The Lancet. Numerous full-length articles
are being published in The Lancet and in multiple other
journals, highlighting the importance of international
collaboration in combating surgery’s marginalization.
The following Executive Summary of LCoGS’ report
on Global Surgery 2030 encapsulates the commission’s
findings regarding the state of global surgical care and
strategies for reversing decades of neglect. The authors
maintain that the delivery of surgery and anesthesia
care must be included by health care providers, policymakers, and funders as a central component of global
health system improvement at the local level by local
leaders with support from global partners. Only in this
way will we be able to achieve health, welfare, and economic development for all. ♦
REFERENCES
1. Meara JG, Leather AJM, Hagander L, et al. Global
surgery 2030: Evidence and solutions for achieving
health, welfare, and economic development. Lancet.
2015. [Epub ahead of print.]
2. Raykar N, Alkire BC, Shrime MG, et al. Global access
to surgical care: A modeling exercise. Lancet Glob
Health. 2015. [Epub ahead of print.]
3. Chao TE, Sharma K, Mandigo M, et al. Cost-effectiveness of surgery and its policy implications for
global health: A systematic review and analysis. Lancet
Glob Health. 2014; 2( 6):e334-e345.
4. Alkire BC, Shrime MG, Dare AJ, Vincent JR, Meara
JG. Global economic consequences of selected surgical
diseases: A modelling study. Lancet Glob Health. 2015.
[Epub ahead of print.]
5. Kim JY. Opening address at the inaugural meeting
of The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery. First
Meeting of The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery.
January 17, 2014; Boston, MA. Available at: www.
globalsurgery.info/video/. Accessed April 16, 2015.
6. World Health Organization. Strengthening
emergency and essential surgical care and anaesthesia
as a component of universal health coverage. Report
by the secretariat. November 28, 2014. Available at:
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB136/
B136_27-en.pdf. Accessed April 16, 2015.
