Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Zambia’s FlySpec Program in Delivering Specialized Surgical Care to Rural Populations

Abstract

Background: Orthopedic injuries are very common among the global burden of surgical disease. The Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Zambia is home to FlySpec, a medical charity that facilitates surgical care delivery to the most remote Zambian communities. We studied the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the FlySpec program. Methods: We analyzed yearly FlySpec reports from 2018 to 2022 to identify differences in various surgical care delivery metrics. Results: We found that there was a reduction in the number of hospital visits, patients seen, and operations performed Post-COVID-19 compared to Pre-COVID-19. There was no difference in the number of FlySpec car visits or air visits in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the clinical activity of FlySPec.