Work over the last couple weeks

Over the last couple weeks, we have been busy with a number of projects at the WHO Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (EESC) Program. 

Most recently, I've been working on putting together a couple proposals, like one on training frontline health workers in emergency obstetric surgical care in Bihar, and another one on developing innovative EESC-eLearning tools to equip more trainees with these essential skills in low-resource settings.

We have also been preparing for my supervisor, Dr. Meena Cherian's upcoming Duty Travels. Dr. Cherian, directs the WHO EESC Program, for which she often travels to partner directly with Ministry of Health officials in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) and work on national policies and programs to build health system capacity and deliver quality, integrated EESC.

Why is this work important? 

Source: http://www.who.int/surgery/en/

Integrating emergency and  surgical care initiatives in low-resource settings is a critical and growing need to address pregnancy-related complications and injuries from road accidents, burns, and falls particularly among the aging population, which significantly contribute to death and disability. Health systems in LMICs are further strained during disasters, when communities’ acute needs add to the existing burden of obstetric and other surgical conditions. Surgically-treatable blindness, diabetes-related wound care and amputations, tropical diseases like Buruli ulcer and filariasis, and female genital mutilation also require safe surgical care.

This week, Dr. Cherian will be in Ghana with Ministry of Health officials, facilitating the WHO Emergency Trauma Care (ETC) Training of Trainers' workshop for government health providers and managers from across the country. The Emergency Trauma Care workshop is one of several important teaching tools in the WHO Integrated Management for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (IMEESC) toolkit. 

Experts among the WHO Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (GIEESC) membership have developed and reviewed the content of WHO IMEESC toolkit, which includes guidance on policy, management, research for evidence based planning (WHO EESC Situation Analysis Tool and WHO EESC Global Database), training (including instructional videos), and monitoring and evaluation in low-resource settings. Access to clinical safety protocols to protect health workers and patients from HIV and infections, functional equipment, and medicines are also vital to improving emergency surgical, obstetric, trauma, and anaesthesia service delivery. The WHO IMEESC toolkit also includes essential equipment and anesthesia supply inventory lists, quality and safety tools, and best practices and standards to support emergency and essential surgical and anesthetic interventions and management at first-referral level health-care facilities in low-resource settings. 

Preparations for the 5th Biennial Meeting for the WHO GIEESC, which will take place on October 14-15, 2013 in Trinidad and Tobago, are also in full swing here at the WHO Head Quarters. 

Making emergency and essential surgical care a political priority within primary health care and universal health coverage in LMICs requires organizing multi-disciplinary stakeholders including policymakers, health providers, and media towards investment in research and sustainable EESC services. 

Here's an excellent Global Pulse article that explains more about the WHO GIEESC, which was established in 2005 to facilitate collaborations and partnerships with health ministries, academia, NGOs, professional societies, and local and international experts to support surgical care systems in LMICs.

The WHO GIEESC Biennial Meeting brings together a global forum of stakeholders for improving basic surgical and emergency care and systems in low- and middle-income countries. This year, the WHO GIEESC Biennial Meeting will precede the World Congress of Surgery, Obstetrics, Trauma, and Anesthesia.

Dr. Cherian's Duty Travel to Ghana will also involve discussions with Ministry of Health officials on health systems strengthening and planning for comprehensive EESC. 

Integrating surgical care initiatives in national health plans in LMICs requires both public and political commitment. The WHO EESC Program and its Global Initiative for EESC works with partners on efforts to build and achieve those commitments.

If you are interested in partnering and collaborating to achieve quality, safe emergency and surgical care for people living in low-resource settings, I'd encourage you to consider joining the WHO GIEESC community today.