Title:	Provision of essential surgery in SubSaharan Africa through task shifting: Evidence and controversies behind current practice
Author:	Karine Nordstrand
Institution:	Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Berlin
Graduate date:	2014-09-24 (W3C-DTF)
Document:	Nordstrand Abstract.pdf
Description: Surgical conditions are important contributors to the disease burden in resource-constrained settings. There are enormous unmet needs for essential operations such as caesarean section, appendectomy and inguinal hernia repair in SubSaharan Africa. Provision of safe, appropriate and timely surgical care may reduce maternal mortality, prevent lifelong disabilities due to injuries or congenital anomalies, and increase cancer survival. A main barrier towards provision of basic surgery is the absolute scarcity of surgical specialists. As a response to this problem, surgical tasks are transfered from specialists to non-specialist physicians, or from physicians to nonphysician clinicians throughout SubSaharan Africa, a practise referred to as surgical task shifting. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of this approach. A literature search was conducted, where relevant articles included studies reporting on outcomes such as quality indicators, acceptability, and cost effectiveness.
Classification:	2014 (LCSH)
Language:	English
Date Of Record Creation:	2015-01-15 04:47:58 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2015-01-15 10:51:58 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2015-01-15 10:52:40 (W3C-DTF)