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On March 20-21, 2019, a multi-disciplinary group of 77 international stakeholders representing nine ministries of health, the World Health Organization, the World Bank Group, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, philanthropic organizations, professional societies, non-governmental institutions, and academia gathered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to discuss global and regional collaboration for National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plan (NSOAP) development, financing, and implementation in Asian, African, and Western Pacific nations.
Recognizing the indispensable role of surgery, obstetrics, and anesthesia (“Surgical Care”)* in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) targets and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), this conference addressed the barriers facing NSOAP financing and implementation. Progress on NSOAP development and challenges were presented by representatives from Zambia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Pakistan. Regional efforts from the Southern African Development Community were also highlighted. Participants discussed the role of high-level global and regional authorities in supporting country-led plans for scaling up surgical care as an essential component of health system strengthening in accordance with World Health Assembly Resolution WHA68.15.
By the end of the conference, participants were prepared to support and advocate for NSOAP processes by engaging and informing key national stakeholders while leveraging external support for developing surgical plans; framing financing of surgical care as indispensable to achieving SDG 3 targets and UHC and economic development; seeking out strategically aligned financing mechanisms for NSOAPs; and defining concrete next steps for advancing surgical care globally, regionally, and nationally. This statement summarizes the key messages expressed by meeting stakeholders.
* “Surgical care” is an overarching term used to denote care for adults and children delivered by anesthesiologists, obstetricians and gynecologists, surgeons from various backgrounds including, but not limited to, adult and paediatric general surgery, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, urology, eye, ENT, and vascular surgery, as well as nursing, biotechnicians and all allied health professionals. Adapted from “Consensus Statement, Emergency and Essential Surgical Care as a Component of Universal Health Coverage in Pakistan.” Islamabad, November 15-16, 2018.
Number of Participants: 77
Number of Countries: 30
Countries Represented: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Fiji, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, , Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe