OPINION: Surgery so simple a gardener can do it – but he probably shouldn’t

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Surgery is not a luxury.

It needs to be a basic human right. Because millions of people around the globe die each year or suffer lifelong disability from easily correctible conditions like obstructed labor or appendicitis.

A number of readily teachable surgical procedures, performed in basic operating rooms, can stem much of the rising tide of human suffering. We associate surgery with space-age operating rooms filled with fancy equipment. A handful of medical conditions require that. But many do not. Non-surgeons trained to do simple procedures can alleviate up to three-quarters of the surgical need in underserved regions.

Source: Reuters (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Education, Health Care
Tags
public health, skill development