Publications
Research, reports and articles by the Global Surgery Foundation and our partners. Select a title to open the publication.
Browse by type: All · Journal articles · Event reports · Annual reports · Articles & commentary · Conference papers
Browse by theme: Policy & Planning · Women's Health · Cancer Care · Education & Training · Trauma Care
GSF Annual Report 2025
Covers GSF's work in 2025, including growth in funding for surgical care and in training that builds local leadership.
Global Surgery Foundation · July 2026
The NSOAP Manual
A practical guide for countries developing National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Plans. Free to download after completing a short form.
UNITAR, Harvard Program in Global Surgery and Social Change and the Global Surgery Foundation · September 2020
A pilot study on the acceptability and safety of collaborative triage and treatment with traditional bonesetters for extremity fracture patients in rural Tanzania
A pilot trial in rural Tanzania compared fracture care by traditional bonesetters alone with a collaborative model involving health workers. The collaborative model had fewer complications and was acceptable to patients, bonesetters and staff.
BMJ Global Health · November 2025
Barriers and Enablers to the Production of Open Access Medical Education Platforms: Scoping Review
A scoping review of free open access medical education platforms found quality control, poorly structured content and long-term funding to be common barriers, while validated quality tools and partnerships helped.
JMIR Medical Education · November 2025
Improving intersectoral collaboration between formal healthcare workers and traditional bonesetters: evaluation of a pilot collaborative orthopaedic trauma course in rural Tanzania
Health workers and traditional bonesetters in rural Tanzania took a joint course on fracture care. Knowledge scores rose and stayed higher a year later, and participants reported greater mutual respect.
BMC Medical Education · August 2025
Surgical Health Policy 2025–35: Strengthening Essential Services
Finds that progress towards the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery targets has been slow and uneven as unmet need has grown, and argues for treating surgery as an essential service and funding whole hospital systems.
The Lancet · July 2025
Causes of diagnostic and treatment delays in locally advanced breast cancer: a nationwide multicenter survey and electronic health records analysis in Türkiye
A nationwide survey of women with locally advanced breast cancer in Türkiye found that diagnostic delays stemmed mainly from patient factors such as lack of knowledge and fear, while provider-related delays were uncommon.
European Journal of Public Health · July 2025
Advancing Open-Access Education for the Surgical Team Worldwide: The Development and Rollout of the United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SURGhub)
Describes the development and rollout of SURGhub, a free, low-bandwidth e-learning platform for the surgical team launched in 2023, and its early uptake by learners around the world.
World Journal of Surgery · June 2025
WHA78 Side-Event Report: Accelerating Catalytic Financing in a New Era
GSF Annual Report 2024
Covers GSF's work in 2024, a year of growth in expanding access to safe, timely and affordable surgical care.
Global Surgery Foundation · May 2025
The Power of Professional Societies: Advancing Safe Surgery for Mothers in Nepal
How Dr Saroja Pande and the Nepal Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists are working to make surgery safer for mothers in Nepal.
Voices in Global Surgery series · May 2025
United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SURGhub): Innovating Surgical Workforce Education in the 22 Arab Countries
An abstract on how SURGhub supports surgical workforce education across the 22 Arab countries, presented at the Arab Conference at Harvard.
Arab Conference at Harvard (abstract) · April 2025
Incidence, Impact, and Healthcare-Seeking Behavior for Extremity Fractures in Resource-Limited Settings: A Household Survey in Rural Tanzania
A household survey in rural Tanzania estimated how often extremity fractures occur and found that nearly all patients sought care from traditional bonesetters, citing lower cost and faster perceived healing.
World Journal of Surgery · April 2025
Broad Support Among Stakeholders for Collaboration Between Traditional Bonesetters and Formal Healthcare: A Qualitative Study in a Resource-Limited Setting
Focus groups and interviews with patients, traditional bonesetters, hospital staff and local government in Tanzania's Rorya district showed broad support for collaboration, most often through a joint triage and referral system.
INQUIRY · March 2025
A Stepwise Approach to Universal Health Coverage: Embracing Comprehensive Patient-Centered Management
A commentary on a stepwise path to universal health coverage built around comprehensive, patient-centred management.
World Journal of Surgery · March 2025
United by Unique: Stories of Resilience, Drawbacks, and Progress
Patients, frontline workers and advocates in women's cancers share stories of resilience, setbacks and progress.
Voices in Global Surgery series · February 2025
Intersectoral Collaboration Between Traditional Bonesetters and Formal Healthcare: A Systematic Review on Past Initiatives and Stakeholder Perspectives
A systematic review found limited evidence on collaboration between traditional bonesetters and formal healthcare, but most stakeholders supported it, with training for bonesetters the most frequently suggested approach.
World Journal of Surgery · January 2025
Perceptions, Beliefs, and Behaviors Affecting Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer in Türkiye
Covering five regions of Türkiye, this study examines how the national breast cancer screening programme works in practice, drawing on women aged 40 to 69 and primary care and screening staff to identify barriers and recommendations.
Marmara University Press · January 2025
Uncovering the Lived Experience of Cancer Surgery
The first article in our Voices in Global Surgery series, in which cancer survivors from seven countries share their experience of surgical care.
Voices in Global Surgery series · November 2024
WHA77 Side-Event Report: Unleashing Powerful Partnerships for Women's Health Equity
Outcomes of the GSF side-event at the 77th World Health Assembly, which brought together member states, UN agencies, philanthropy, academia, civil society and industry on partnerships for women's health equity.
Global Surgery Foundation · July 2024