Client Profile
Universal access to safe, affordable surgical and anesthesia care when needed saves lives, prevents disability, and promotes economic growth. In January 2014, President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, called for a “shared vision and strategy for global equity in essential surgical care,” stating “surgery is an indivisible, indispensable part of health care.” This call came at a pivotal time for global health. As focus transitions from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) to a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), commitments to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and a broader focus on building resilient health systems, the global community must develop strategies to reach these new aims.
Global Surgery 2030, the landmark initial report of The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, describes the role of surgical and anesthesia care in improving the health of individuals and the economic productivity of countries. Developed by a multidisciplinary team of 25 commissioners and collaborators from over 110 nations, the report presents findings on the state of surgical care in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as a framework of recommendations, indicators and targets needed to achieve the Commission’s vision of universal access to safe, affordable surgical and anesthesia care when needed.
Definition of Problem
Developing surgical systems, like any global health endeavor, can present unique challenges. These challenges need not be met in isolation- learning from successes and failures in other parts of the world can strengthen the impact of individual efforts and accelerate global progress. The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery aims to create new material for mutual learning, and has been working with a series of universities, including Notre Dame, to do so.
Zambia is one of the first countries that has partnered with the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery to design and implement a contextually-tailored National Surgical and Anesthesia Plan based off the framework developed by the commission. The Ministry of Health intends to incorporate this National Surgical and Anesthesia Plan into their overarching 5-year Zambian Health Strategic Plan generated for 2017-2021. There is a unique opportunity to develop a teaching case on the Zambian experience – that explores both the advances and challenges – as it develops its national surgical plan.
Initial Ideas and Options
Review existing cases in the Lancet case series. http://www.globalsurgery.info/teaching-cases/
Explore other related cases http://www.ghdonline.org/cases/?ref=globalhealthdelivery
Look at information on case writing http://www.rsm.nl/fileadmin/Images_NEW/CDC/How_to_Write_a_Good_Teaching_Case.pdf
- Reach out to client to get background on Zambia. The DAT team will have access in developing the case to the key actors related to the National Surgical Plan in Zambia as well as those from the Lancet Commission.
Definition of Success
Develop a 8-12 page teaching case with additional exhibits that document the development of Zambia’s national surgical plan in an interesting and engaging fashion, that could be used as a teaching case, exploring challenges and opportunities, especially for other countries considering such a plan.
Development Advisory Team
Final Report