Challenges of Neonatal Surgery in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

In the last few decades, a better understanding of neonatal physiology and advances in technology and neonatal intensive care have improved the safety and out come of neonatal surgery in developed countries. In sub-Saharan African, however, neonatal surgery is still bedeviled by a myriad of problems, making newborn surgery to be attended by unacceptable morbidity and mortality. The problems range from lack of awareness and late presentation, through shortage of relevant personnel and lack of appropriate equipments and facilities to poor financing for neonatal surgical services. The quality of neonatal surgical service is a measure of the quality of paediatric surgical service provided by any centre. Efforts need to be made by all stakeholders to improve neonatal services in sub-Saharan Africa. Neonates require and certainly deserve the highest level of surgical care.

Key Words: Neonate, surgery, sub-Saharan African, challenges, first class

African Journal of Paediatric Surgery Vol.(1)1 2004: 43-48