Accelerating progress towards surgical equity in Universal Health Coverage through scaling up children’s surgical services and eliminating Neglected Surgical Diseases (NSDs) by 2030

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During the 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva, the Ministry of Health Kenya and the Philippines in partnership with Smile Train, KidsOR, Henry Family Advised Fund, College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), The G4 Alliance, and West African College of Surgeons (WACS), hosted ‘Accelerating progress towards surgical equity in Universal Health Coverage through scaling up children’s surgical services and eliminating Neglected Surgical Diseases (NSDs) by 2030’ on May 23, 2019 at the InterContinental Hotel.

Opening remarks were shared by Hon. Mrs. Sicily Kariuki, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health, Kenya, Dr. Mario C. Villaverde, Undersecretary of Health of the Health, Policy Systems Development Department of Health of the Philippines, Dr. Wekesa Masasabi, Director General of Health, Kenya, Dr. Jaymie Henry, Senior Advisor to the G4 Alliance Board and Principal, Henry Family Advised Fund, Ms. Erin Stieber, Senior Vice-President, Programs, Smile Train and Mr. Garreth Wood, Founder and Chair, Kids Operating Room.

Representatives from Kenya, Republic of the Philippines, Burundi, The Gambia, The Republic of Haiti, Ireland, Laos, Mexico, Namibia, Perú, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan joined us to stimulate action towards integration of surgical care as a component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and build a legacy of ‘Leaving No One Behind’ for the next generation.

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A highlight of this session featured regional experts speaking on the topic of neglected surgical diseases and collaborative strategies to address these conditions through surgical systems strengthening. Speakers included Prof. Kokila Lakhoo, Professor of Paediatric Surgery, University of Oxford, Prof. Pankaj Jani, President, College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA), and Prof. Serigne Magueye Gueye, President, West African College of Surgeons (WACS).

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Partner statement in support of NSD elimination were given by Ms. Anneka Knutsson, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Campaign to End Fistula, Ms. Rosalind Owen, Global Clubfoot Initiative (GCI), Ms. Zoey Gray, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and Dr. Bisola Onajin, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (The G4 Alliance).

The event wrapped up with a call to action to Member States and civil society partners to work together to:

1. Support a Global Partnership to Prevent and Eliminate Neglected Surgical Diseases (NSDs) by 2030 that will be launched in May 2020.

2. Support the KidsOR-funded plan for national scale-up of children’s surgical services through training and infrastructure development in Sub-Saharan Africa that will be launched in May 2020.

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