SURGfund
The catalytic fund for surgical care systems
We officially announced SURGfund at our 76th World Health Assembly side event.
Why do we need a fund for surgical care?
Solution
The provision of highly cost-effective surgical care is feasible. It would prevent millions of unnecessary deaths and generate substantial economic benefit to countries.
Surgical care not only saves lives or prevents disabilities, but also serves as the bedrock of strong and functional health systems.
SURGfund enables coordinated investments in surgical care systems in limited-resource settings.
Problem
Two thirds of the world’s population lack access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care, resulting each year in 17 million avoidable deaths and an enormous health burden of many more life-long disabilities.
— WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros
“There is a clear need for coordinated, integrated effort to meet the largely unmet surgical needs all over the world”
What is SURGfund?
SURGfund is the missing piece for closing the gap in global health and achieving UHC.
It is a coordinated catalytic funding mechanism that mobilises, pools and channels funds to frontline stakeholders to facilitate strengthening of surgical care systems of LMICs. SURGfund is a multilateral fund, with donors from government, philanthropy, private industry and finance sectors. Its first fundraising target is $50 million USD.
SURGfund is an integral part of the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF).
What is SURGfund’s objective?
SURGfund’s objective is to ensure sustainable funding for scaling up surgical care systems in LMICs. It does so by supporting demonstration projects for surgical system strengthening and larger scale-up projects that have the highest potential for positive impact.
Four key entry points have been identified for SURGfund in collaboration with our frontline partners as having the most immediate impact on saving lives and building strong health systems: Injury and Trauma Surgery, Cancer Surgery, Surgical Care for Children, and Maternal Health.
— Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, GSF Board Member & former Executive Director of UN Women
“Every day approximately 800 women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. A safely functioning surgical care system could prevent this."
What sets SURGfund apart?
SURGfund builds health systems - Rather than being pathology-focused, SURGfund is systems-focused. Functioning surgical care systems ensure that the entire healthcare system is strong. Targeted investments into building strong surgical care systems ensure long-term impact and sustainability.
SURGfund’s model is based on collaboration - We recognise that our implementing partners will have deep contextual knowledge; as such, we want them to have ownership of funded projects. The needs of the most vulnerable communities can be diverse. SURGfund strives for responsiveness and flexibility to meet these needs, with tailor-made funding solutions for implementing partners as the context demands. A transparent and equitable selection process will also assess complementarity with already-existing efforts to avoid health system fragmentation.
How does SURGfund operate?
SURGfund operates according to the highest international financial and auditing standards, overseen by the Swiss regulatory authorities.
The fund is designed to draw on existing institutional capacities of the GSF, leveraging its established access to the world’s leading technical partners, the United Nations and its Member States, as well as private partners. As the integrated funding mechanism of the GSF, the operational management of SURGfund is conducted by the GSF Secretariat. SURGfund operates according to the highest international financial and auditing standards, overseen by the Swiss regulatory authorities.
Each initiative being funded by SURGfund adheres to a robust results framework. The implementing partner is responsible for undertaking tracking, monitoring, and reporting, via a standardised process that is administered by the GSF secretariat. This reporting allows investors to keep up-to-date on allocations and achievement of outcomes of the financed activities against expected impact.
— Prof. Rifat Atun, GSF Board President, Professor of Global Health Systems at Harvard University
“A strong Surgical Care System ensures that the entire Health System is strong – that is Health System Strengthening”
How is SURGfund governed?
The GSF governance, established according to the Swiss Civil Code, provides overall oversight, ensuring equitable and transparent decision-making. The GSF governance has been carefully designed to ensure equitable representation, providing a strong guiding voice from relevant stakeholders and frontline workers from LMICs.
As part of the GSF, SURGfund is governed by the Foundation Board, the High-Level Council, and the Technical Advisory Council.
In accordance with Swiss regulations, the GSF undergoes an annual external, independent audit submitted to the review and approval of the Swiss regulatory authorities.
SURGfund’s processes have undergone a rigorous beta-testing.
What are SURGfund’s key principles?
SURGfund is ready
Pooled financing has revolutionised global health and surgical care is next.
SURGfund was officially announced at the 76th World Health Assembly side-event.
How to support SURGfund?
SURGfund offers an opportunity in invest in healthcare where it matters, with high-impact outcomes.
Your investment in SURGfund gives you:
Unparalleled technical expertise and access to first-hand knowledge of front-line needs
Best quality of implementation, monitoring and evaluation according to the highest international standards
Opportunity to position your organisation among global leaders by joining this ground-breaking initiative in global health as an early contributor
Local ownership and broader local financing, with the aim to ensure long-term sustainability, including through alignment with existing country-level planning and policies
Strong attention to creating synergies and ensuring complementarity with already existing efforts, with the aim to avoid fragmentation and silos
Join SURGfund
Our individual efforts are not enough. We need countries, industry, and philanthropy to join.
Please get in touch with us now at info@globalsurgeryfoundation.org