Research Posters

CHARACTERIZING PEDIATRIC SURGICAL CAPACITY IN THE EASTERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO:

Global Surgery:

Surgical care gaining recognition as an integral part of functional healthcare systems
Lancet commission on Global Surgery 2015 call to address surgical needs
Increased presence in the literature acknowledging
Cost benefit of increased surgical capacity
Specialty groups such as pediatric and neonatal surgery face additional barriers

Barriers to Accessing Surgical Care

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC):

Faced with some of the deadliest humanitarian crises in recent history
Provinces along the eastern border especially affected by conflict involving Rwanda and Uganda
One of the poorest and least developed countries in the world
2016 HDI: 176th out of 187

Improving Population Health through Pediatric Surgery Capacity-Building in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
3/22/19
The 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery’s seminal work on surgical care in resource-poor settings identified several key themes related to surgical care in low- and middle-income countries. However, this report did not directly address deficits in pediatric surgical care. In many low- and middle-income countries, patients less than 15 years old comprise nearly 50% of the population, therefore, addressing the pediatric population is essential (Ozgediz et al, Toobaie et al, Bickler et al).