Dr. Andrea Parker moved to Kenya to operate. Today she builds the educational systems that train the surgeons who can.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

By the community. For the community. SURGhub has surpassed 50,000 registered learners — propelled by professionals championing access to world-class surgical education. We speak with three of them here.

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.

The Global Surgery Foundation’s 2025 Annual Report marks a decisive turning point for global health. Discover how increased catalytic financing and award-winning training are building local leadership capacity to bring safe, sustainable surgical care to everyone, everywhere.