Today Ministers of Health from around the world approved the World Health Organisation (WHO) Resolution 68/31 on Strengthening Emergency and Essential Surgical Care and Anaesthesia at the 68th World Health Assembly, which recognises that surgery and anaesthesia are fundamental to achieving universal health coverage.

Speaking about this landmark Resolution, RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) President Mr Declan J. Magee said: “RCSI has long been aware of the need to ensure that access to safe surgery and support for quality training programmes are on the agenda of health ministries. We are pleased to have played our part in getting this matter onto the global stage. RCSI will continue to work with our partners in Africa to meet the targets set out under this important Resolution.”

Addressing a delegation of African Health Ministers attending the WHA in Geneva, Mr Magee urged ministries to provide direct funding for domestic surgical training initiatives. This support is critical to the long-term sustainability and success of surgical training institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, one of which, the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) has been a long-term partner of RCSI.

Mr Magee highlighted the success of RCSI’s partnership with COSECSA and other global healthcare initiatives and noted that RCSI has been instrumental in raising the profile of COSECSA internationally, including at the WHA. Such efforts have helped to raise awareness of the substantial challenges facing surgeons in the region, particularly those in rural areas, and has helped to bring about advances such as the new Resolution . Mr Magee underlined to Ministers that this Resolution constitutes a unique opportunity and encouraged Ministries to allocate time and resources to honour their commitment to improved surgery and anaesthesia care.

The impact of sufficient support for surgical and anaesthesia care, as set out under the Resolution, was recently highlighted in The Lancet:

• 1.5 million deaths per year could be averted, representing 6·5% of all avertable deaths in these countries.
• Essential surgical procedures rank among the most cost effective of all health interventions. 
• The large burden of surgical disorders, cost-effectiveness of essential surgery, and strong public demand for surgical services suggest that universal coverage of essential surgery should be financed early on the path to universal health coverage. 
• Full coverage of the component of universal coverage of essential surgery applicable to first-level hospitals would require just over US$3 billion annually of additional spending and yield a benefit–cost ratio of more than 10:1. It would efficiently and equitably provide health benefits, financial protection, and contributions to stronger health systems.

Efforts to achieve these targets will be greatly improved by this Resolution which requires that Member States “expand efforts to close gaps, in both infrastructure and human resources for essential and emergency surgical care. Improving workforce distribution, with special attention being given to rural areas, should be a priority, although regular assessment and assuring the availability of functioning equipment and medicines are also essential”.