Exploring the concept of surgical transition: surgical activity in the light of economic development in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and India.

Introduction: The surgical volume indicator measures surgical activity within a population, but it does not fully untangle the details behind the statistical indicator. As health systems evolve and countries develop economically, the types of surgeries performed, providers, and levels of healthcare facilities may provide a richer understanding of changes in surgical activity. This research studied surgical activity in four diverse settings by analyzing initial data to assess trends in patient characteristics, surgical staff, case distribution, level of care, and anesthesia practices, forming the basis for a "surgical transition" framework.

State-wise variation and inequalities in caesarean delivery rates in India: analysis of the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-2021) data.

Background: India's caesarean delivery (CD) rate of 21.5% suggests adequate national access to CD but may mask significant disparities. We examined variation in CD rates across states (geography), wealth, and health care sector (public versus private).

Are LMICs Achieving the Lancet Commission Global Benchmark for Surgical Volumes? A Systematic Review.

Introduction: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) set the benchmark of 5000 procedures per 100,000 population annually to meet surgical needs adequately. This systematic review provides an overview of the last ten years of surgical volumes in Low and Middle- Income-Countries (LMICs).

Methodology: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases for studies from LMICs addressing surgical volume.

Changes in surgical volume, workforce, and productivity in Sierra Leone between 2012 and 2017.

Background: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery recommends a minimum of 20 surgical specialists and 5,000 annual operations per 100,000 population by 2030. In 2012, Sierra Leone was far from reaching these targets. This study aimed to assess the changes in surgical activity, surgical workforce, and surgical productivity between 2012 and 2017.