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
1 in 7 SURGhub Learners Comes From a Conflict-Affected Country
More than 10,000 learners from the 24 countries on the World Bank’s latest list of conflict-affected situations are using SURGhub. Together they make up about one in seven registered learners.
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.
180 Years of Anaesthesia, Along the Patient Pathway
On 16 October, anaesthesia teams around the world mark World Anaesthesia Day, 180 years after the first public demonstration of ether anaesthesia. This year’s campaign looks at the part anaesthesiologists play in a patient’s care before, during and long after an operation.
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.
Johnson & Johnson Foundation and the Global Surgery Foundation Deepen Their Work, Partnering to Scale Surgical Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
A renewed $1 million commitment to SURGfund, announced at WHA79, will train surgical healthcare workers and improve care for patients at 31 facilities. As an anchor contribution it also strengthens the case for further investment into the collaborative funding mechanism.
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.
World Postpartum Haemorrhage Day 2026
On 5 October, maternal health organisations mark World Postpartum Haemorrhage Day. One year after new global guidelines were issued, the day is a reminder that most deaths from bleeding after birth can be prevented.
GSF Names New Programme and Clinical Leads for Women's Health
Dr. Mélanie Samson takes on the role of Programme Lead, Women’s Health, and Dr. Jean Chamberlain becomes Clinical Lead, Maternal Health, as the Global Surgery Foundation’s safe caesarean section projects expand.
New SURGhub Course Helps Surgical Teams Prevent Postpartum Haemorrhage
A free short course from the Global Surgery Foundation trains obstetric, anaesthesia, midwifery and nursing teams in the latest WHO guidance on heat-stable carbetocin for preventing postpartum haemorrhage at caesarean section.
World Patient Safety Day 2026: Safe Care for Noncommunicable Diseases
On 17 September, the World Health Organization marks World Patient Safety Day for the seventh year running. In 2026, the campaign turns to noncommunicable diseases, conditions for which surgery is one of the standard treatments.
Non-communicable diseases receive just 2.5% of health aid
A global analysis of two decades of health aid found that non-communicable diseases received a fraction of funding despite causing most of the disease burden.
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.
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.
Most Low-resource Surgical Simulation Uses Low-cost Tools
A new journal review of 50 years of change in surgical education finds that most simulation in low-resource settings uses low-cost, locally sourced task trainers.
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.