Abstract
Surgical care is an essential component of a functional and resilient public healthcare system. Access to safe and affordable surgery improves health outcomes, social welfare, and economic growth. There is a growing need for surgical and anesthesia care in low- and middle-income countries, including in the Arab world within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. However, there are significant gaps in knowledge, policy, and action regarding surgical conditions, capabilities, accessibility, and utilization of surgical care services across countries in the MENA region. In this chapter, the authors review the current state of surgical care in the Arab world, with a focus on access, infrastructure, and pathways for delivery of surgical care. The authors discuss the human and economic influence of war and conflicts in the Arab world as it relates to surgical care and the unmet needs of displaced populations and refugees. Finally, we discuss the importance of broad-based and sustainable health systems to scale-up essential and safe surgical services across the Arab world.
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Khalifeh, J.M., Ramly, E., Kaafarani, H.M.A. (2020). Surgery and Public Health in the Middle East and North Africa Region. In: Laher, I. (eds) Handbook of Healthcare in the Arab World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74365-3_97-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74365-3_97-1
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