The Importance of Access to Safe Surgery Worldwide

Having safe and reliable surgery is a must for all people. The lower your income is, the more at risk that you don't have reliable surgery. Some health coverages, such as Universal Health Coverage, aim to ensure that all people have access to the full range of quality health services when and where they need them, without financial hardship. 

Access to safe surgery is a major global issue. “It is estimated that 5 billion people, over half of the world's population, do not have access to safe and timely surgery when required" (Maswime et al). This just shows how big the problem is. This gap causes preventable deaths, worsened health, and economic loss especially towards low and middle income countries. Surgery is essential not only for treating life-threatening conditions but also for improving quality of life. There are many Types of Surgeries: Trauma, cancer, open-heart, etc. Without it, people suffer unnecessarily. 

An example from the Harvard report shows how lack of basic resources can lead to tragic outcomes. A woman in Uganda bled heavily after childbirth because her hospital had no matching blood on hand. Doctors could not provide the blood transfusion she needed. She then passed away. Not only do you need safe surgery, you need well trained surgeons and preparedness. Improving access to safe surgery has broad benefits: reducing mortality, preventing permanent disabilities, aid economic development, etc. Global plans mentioned in the Harvard article are working on integrating worldwide surgical care systems. 

Overall, safe surgical access is a critical part of global health worldwide. Ensuring that all people, regardless of where they live or their income, can get timely, safe, and affordable surgery is essential to reduce suffering, save lives, and support healthier/productive societies. Expanding these efforts worldwide will create stronger communities, improve global health outcomes, and offer hope to millions who currently lack care.

by Malak Ibrahim at Incisionary

References:

KidsOR. (n.d.). Lack of access to surgery is a problem [Image]. Retrieved August 14, 2025, from https://www.kidsor.org/surgery-for-all/lack-of-access-to-surgery-is-a-problem/

Maswime, S., Bickler, S., Dare, A. J., & Shrime, M. G. (2025). Access to safe surgery globally: current state and future directions. Journal of Global Health, 15, 01001. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11981160/

Harvard Medical School. (2024, March 26). Global surgery: A bold plan for access and equity. Retrieved August 14, 2025, from https://hms.harvard.edu/news/global-surgery-bold-plan-access-equity