Date: September 04, 2024
Time: 3:00pm-4:30pm (CAT/GMT+1)
9:00am – 10:30am (Colombia/Ecuador, GMT-5),
5:00pm- 6:30pm (EAT)
Venue: Zoom, online (Register Now)

Background

Global surgery has been gaining more light and visibility as an important feature in Global Health, although commonly named as the ‘neglected stepchild of public health’ (1). In a majority of low and middle countries, access to surgical care is low due to long distance to facilities, limited number of surgeons/experts and expensive cost associated with surgery and anesthesia (2). Previous research revealed that approximately 2 billion people in the world had limited access to surgical care (3), 94% of which are found in low and middle income countries (4). Recognizing the importance of improving weak surgical systems, the Nkafu Policy Institute, Operation Smile and the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), have come together and identified powerful agents for change, hailing from countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ecuador, Cameroon and Columbia to advance global surgery through grassroots and policy change. These Fellows have participated in an in-person advocacy training organized in Butaro, Rwanda alongside their mentors earlier this year and are ready to share their unique advocacy projects with the world for increased access to safe, timely and affordable surgical and anesthesia care.

Objectives

This webinar aims to:

• Showcase ongoing advocacy projects by GSAF fellows to encourage engagement and support by key players within their areas of intervention;
• Teach advocacy methods using case studies of Fellow projects;
• Raise awareness on surgical care challenges experienced in various communities.

Targeted Audience

This webinar is intended for the global surgery advocacy fellowship applicants, senior fellows of the program, health care professionals, global health leaders, Policy makers, researchers, public health specialists, university lecturers, students and health enthusiasts.

Venue

This discussion will be an online event hosted on the Zoom platform and broadcasted on Facebook.

Expected outputs

The expected outputs are:

– Understood and improved knowledge on surgical challenges experienced in the fellows’ communities;

– Gained knowledge on the various advocacy strategies that can be used to impact change.

Moderator:
Dr. Ronald Gobina – Director of Health Policy and Research Division

Panelists

• Pierrette Ngutete Mukundwa, A global health leader, Lecturer at UGHE (University of Global Health Equity)

• Juan Carlos Gallego, ynecologist and professor, Fundacion Valle del Lili and ICESI University

• Tinsae Abera Worku, Education and Training Coordinator at Gender Equity Initiative in Global Surgery