News and events
Stay up to date on our activities and the latest news in global surgery.
News type: Programme updates · Stories · Partnerships · Publications · Organisation
Event type: High-level events · Webinars · External events
Project: Kano (Nigeria) · Nakuru (Kenya) · Koshi (Nepal) · Bonesetters (Tanzania) · Breast cancer (Türkiye) · SURGhub
Photo: OSS Nakuru project
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Invest in the Surgical Team
Surgery remains the cornerstone of multimodal breast cancer treatment. Professor Freddy Gnangnon, a surgical oncologist in Cotonou, Benin, explains why women in sub-Saharan Africa need not only access to an operation, but surgical teams trained to perform it safely as part of multidisciplinary care.
A Need No Surgeon Could Meet Alone
Dr. Andrea Parker moved to Kenya to operate. Today she builds the educational systems that train the surgeons who can.
Not Built by One Person Alone: Dr. Abdihakim Mohamoud Ahmed on Training Between Shifts
A junior doctor at a district hospital in Somaliland, Dr. Abdihakim Mohamoud Ahmed shares how he redirected his free time towards surgical training, and why he believes the future of surgical care belongs to a generation rather than to any one person.
The Invisible Work That Keeps Surgery Safe in Kano, Nigeria
In the latest instalment of Voices of Global Surgery, Ibrahim Isah Muhammad, perioperative nurse and operating theatre in-charge at Wudil General Hospital in Kano State, Nigeria, reflects on the realisation that saving lives in surgery often begins long before the first incision.
Advancing Maternal Safety during Childbirth: Highlights from our UNGA81 Side-Event
On 24 September 2026, BCIU, BD and the Global Surgery Foundation brought together stakeholders in New York, on the margins of UNGA81, to discuss how health systems can recognise and respond to maternal complications earlier.
GSF Takes the Evidence On Safe Caesarean Care to UNGA
The Global Surgery Foundation's Safe Caesarean Section projects in Nepal, Kenya and Nigeria are expanding from 19 to 31 health facilities. Ahead of two UN General Assembly events on maternal survival, here is what the model has changed so far.
The Nurse Who Never Ignores Her Instincts in Koshi, Nepal
In the latest instalment of Voices of Global Surgery, Smarika Raut, a post-operative gynaecology nurse and OSSC mentor at Koshi Hospital, describes the vigilance and compassion of the hours after surgery, and the case that taught her never to ignore her instincts.
GSF joins BCIU and BD for UNGA event on maternal safety during childbirth
The Business Council for International Understanding will host Advancing Maternal Safety during Childbirth: Improving Recognition, Response and Care in New York on 24 September, in partnership with Becton Dickinson and Company and the Global Surgery Foundation.
The Doctor Who Refuses to Do Nothing in Kano, Nigeria
In the latest instalment of Voices of Global Surgery, Dr. Olusegun Samuel Spaine, Chief Medical Officer in charge of Mariya Sunusi Maternity Hospital in Kano, Nigeria, explains why his answer to delay and scarcity is always to act, and remembers the patient he gave his own blood to try to save.
The Matron Teaching Teams to Save Mothers in Damak, Nepal
In the latest instalment of Voices of Global Surgery, Punam Gauro, Nursing Chief at AMDA Hospital in Damak, Nepal, and a mentor in the Nepal OSSC project, describes a career spent turning training into impact for mothers and newborns, and remembers the mother whose recovery still shapes every lesson she gives.
Care Continues Even When Resources Fall Short
A recent nursing graduate from Sri Lanka, Mr Oshanda Dinethra, shares how flexible online learning supported him through a critical ICU case, and why he believes nursing depends on knowledge and practical skill working together.
Pin It to the Board: How Peer Mentorship Is Promoting Digital Surgical Education in Uganda
Digital platforms expand access to surgical training, but local barriers often stall adoption. In Uganda, a Gulu University team is bridging this gap. By pairing a notice board campaign with peer mentorship, they show how to turn registered users into engaged learners.
Making Us Bold: How Obstetric Safe Surgery is Changing Lives in Kenya
In Nakuru County, Kenya, a perioperative nurse and her surgical team are proving that when you invest in the people behind the operating table, the ripple effects reach far beyond theatre walls.
From the Roadside to the Trauma Bay: Mr Dennis Ntabo Nyang'au on Essential Emergency Care
From the frontlines of emergency care in Nakuru, Mr. Dennis Ntabo Nyang'au shares how systematic clinical training provides a vital framework for saving lives in Kenya’s most unpredictable environments.
"Approaching the Case Confidently": A SURGhub Impact Story from Bangladesh
Dr. Sourov Das serves as a postgraduate trainee in General Surgery at Comilla Medical College Hospital. This busy public facility in Bangladesh serves a vast population, including rural patients who often face significant barriers to specialized care.
Surgery Takes Centre Stage at WHA79 — with a Record Wave of Catalytic Funding
With a record wave of new commitments to SURGfund, the catalytic model for surgical care is moving from proof of concept towards scale — and the results are already saving lives.
Resilient Care in Resource-Limited Settings: A Conversation with Dr. Sheku Dennis Massaquoi
From Freetown, Sierra Leone, Lt. Col. Dr. Sheku Dennis Massaquoi shares how navigating acute resource shortages and embracing virtual learning provides a vital framework for resilient surgical care in one of the world's most under-resourced systems.
Caring for Patients Beyond the Limits of the System: A Surgeon's Reality in Kano, Nigeria
In Kano, Nigeria, Dr. Maryam shares the realities of providing maternal surgical care in a resource-constrained setting—where unpredictability, improvisation, and urgent decisions shape every day.
"When Knowledge has the Power to save a Life": A SURGhub Impact Story from the Democratic Republic of Congo
From the frontlines of anaesthesia and critical care in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. William Baraka shares how transforming personal tragedy into a lifelong mission provides a vital framework for saving lives in one of the world's most conflict-affected regions.
Surgery, a Beautiful Work of Art: A Conversation with Dr. Shubhangi Patil
From small-town hospitals to global health hubs, Dr. Shubhangi Patil shares how treating surgery as a work of art and mastering the fundamentals through digital learning provides a vital framework for clinical excellence across borders.