Countdown to Davos 2020: What We Need to Do to Scale Up Access to Children’s Surgical Care

Two billion children lack access to surgical services leading to more than 6 million deaths every year (1). More than 6 million children die from congenital disorders, injury, and cancer (2). Young adolescent girls, particularly in Africa, die from complications of pregnancy and childbirth (2).

The lack of access to children’s surgical care is due to an insufficient surgical and anesthesia workforce, and inadequate infrastructure, equipment and supplies. Moreover, factors such…