Fulfilling Need for Neurosurgical Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: Initial Angola-Brazil Training Experience

Beer‐Furlan, André; Neto, Sérgio; Teixeira, Manoel Jacobsen; Figueiredo, Eberval Gadelha

doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2018.10.081

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Furthermore, Africa has access to less than 1% of the practicing neurosurgeons worldwide despite accounting for 15% of the global volume of neurosurgical disease. 12 The concentration of efforts in LMICs revealed in this review is useful for informing geographic suggestions for future initiatives. If the main goal is to provide equitable access to these resources, there is a strong argument for starting new initiatives in interested LMICs composing the 28 remaining countries without this type of international partnership.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Global neurosurgery: a scoping review detailing the current state of international neurosurgical outreach

Fuller

Barkley

et al. 2021

Journal of Neurosurgery

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OBJECTIVEGlobal neurosurgery is a rapidly emerging field that aims to address the worldwide shortages in neurosurgical care. Many published outreach efforts and initiatives exist to address the global disparity in neurosurgical care; however, there is no centralized report detailing these efforts. This scoping review aims to characterize the field of global neurosurgery by identifying partnerships between high-income countries (HICs) and low- and/or middle-income countries (LMICs) that seek to increase neurosurgical capacity.METHODSA scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework. A search was conducted in five electronic databases and the gray literature, defined as literature not published through traditional commercial or academic means, to identify studies describing global neurosurgery partnerships. Study selection and data extraction were performed by four independent reviewers, and any disagreements were settled by the team and ultimately the team lead.RESULTSThe original database search produced 2221 articles, which was reduced to 183 final articles after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. These final articles, along with 9 additional gray literature references, captured 169 unique global neurosurgery collaborations between HICs and LMICs. Of this total, 103 (61%) collaborations involved surgical intervention, while local training of medical personnel, research, and education were done in 48%, 38%, and 30% of efforts, respectively. Many of the collaborations (100 [59%]) are ongoing, and 93 (55%) of them resulted in an increase in capacity within the LMIC involved. The largest proportion of efforts began between 2005–2009 (28%) and 2010–2014 (17%). The most frequently involved HICs were the United States, Canada, and France, whereas the most frequently involved LMICs were Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya.CONCLUSIONSThis review provides a detailed overview of current global neurosurgery efforts, elucidates gaps in the existing literature, and identifies the LMICs that may benefit from further efforts to improve accessibility to essential neurosurgical care worldwide.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Global neurosurgery: a scoping review detailing the current state of international neurosurgical outreach

Fuller

Barkley

et al. 2021

Journal of Neurosurgery

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“…The shortage of qualified neurosurgical personnel—from neurosurgeons to specialized nursing staff and anesthesiologists 4 —in conjunction with an overwhelming patient workload, creates a scenario where the demands far exceed the available capacity. 10 This mismatch leads to prolonged waiting times for surgeries, increases the risk of complications, and often results in suboptimal patient outcomes.…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

The availability, access, challenges and advancements in neurosurgical care in Africa: a mini review

Ahmed,

Furqan,

Okon

et al. 2024

Annals of Medicine &Amp; Surgery

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The availability and accessibility of neurosurgical care across Africa remains limited despite recent advancements. Overall, Africa accounts for 15% of the global neurosurgical disease burden but has access to less than 1% of neurosurgeons globally. While the number of neurosurgeons has increased in recent decades, huge workforce shortages remain, with the region facing the second-largest neurosurgical deficit. Access to adequate facilities and equipment is also lacking. Barriers like poverty, conflicts, and distance from care centers negatively impact patients’ ability to access services. However, training programs like the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Rabat Training Center have contributed to building local capacity. Use of technologies like neuro-endoscopy is expanding access to more cost-effective interventions for conditions such as hydrocephalus. Undergraduate medical education is also seeing a rise in African students interested in neurosurgery. Despite these advancements, workforce shortfalls, inadequate infrastructure, and challenges posed by geopolitical instability continue to hinder the provision of comprehensive neurosurgical care. Limited research and funding discourage experienced surgeons from practicing in their home countries. Increased international collaboration, support for education, and tackling of structural issues are needed to continue strengthening Africa’s neurosurgical capacity and reducing the disease burden. This narrative review aims to provide an overview of the current state of neurosurgery on the continent, highlight achievements, and identify persisting challenges.

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“…In the neurosurgical individual scenario, more than 20,000 additional neurosurgeons worldwide would be needed to meet the estimated volume of cases ( Dewan et al., 2019 ). The greatest shortage of personnel is in Africa, where despite accounting for 15% of the global volume of neurosurgical disease, there is the only access to less than 1% of the practicing neurosurgeons worldwide ( Beer-Furlan et al., 2019 ). On the African continent, regional inequalities are also enormous.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The NED foundation experience: A model of global neurosurgery

Rodríguez-Mena¹,

Piquer-Martínez²,

Llácer-Ortega³

et al. 2023

Brain and Spine

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Fulfilling Need for Neurosurgical Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: Initial Angola-Brazil Training Experience

Cited by 14 publications

References 4 publications

Global neurosurgery: a scoping review detailing the current state of international neurosurgical outreach

Global neurosurgery: a scoping review detailing the current state of international neurosurgical outreach

The availability, access, challenges and advancements in neurosurgical care in Africa: a mini review

The NED foundation experience: A model of global neurosurgery

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