Special announcement: a catalytic fund for surgical systems strengthening
The Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) officially announced SURGfund at its 76th World Health Assembly side-event on 23 May 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Answering the call for a coordinated funding mechanism for surgical care systems, SURGfund will provide much-needed financing for surgical system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), focusing on four key entry points: maternal health, paediatric surgery, trauma and injury, and cancer surgery.
Despite proven benefits for the entire health system, surgical care remains one of the most neglected gaps in global health which stands as a barrier to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“There is a clear need for coordinated, integrated effort to meet the largely unmet surgical needs all over the world”
SURGfund aims to mobilise multilateral funding from governments, philanthropies, private industry and finance to support projects with the highest potential for positive impact, from small-scale demonstration projects to scaling up surgical systems in LMICs. The fund is designed to be responsive to the needs of implementing partners and donors, ultimately facilitating investments in sustainable high-impact surgical care. Funding will help support critical pillars in surgical system strengthening: capital infrastructure improvement; education & training of surgical, anaesthetic and obstetric care providers; research & evaluation; and policy development.
“Every day approximately 800 women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Many of these deaths could be prevented if a safely functioning surgical care system was accessible”
SURGfund is an integral part of the GSF and is overseen by its governing bodies, providing strong and equitable representation and guiding voice from clinicians and low- and middle-income countries. GSF’s Technical Advisory Council will guide and oversee funding allocations. As a Swiss foundation, the GSF is subject to rigorous financial and auditing standards.
SURGfund now opens its call to funders to make a financial commitment to this long-neglected but critical area, with an initial fundraising target of $50 million USD.
More information can be found at www.globalsurgeryfoundation.org/surgfund
Resources