23 Jun 300 years to train enough surgeons to meet global demand
In May 2025, global leaders, health ministers, and experts came together in Geneva for the 78th World Health Assembly. The focus of the event was to celebrate progress and confront the urgent challenges that remain in delivering safe, affordable surgical care to all.
During the assembly, Mercy Ships and Operation Smile held a session, commemorating a decade of leadership in their global efforts to enhance access to equitable surgical care. Many influential health specialists from across Africa joined in the conversation:
Dr Neema Kaseje, a paediatric humanitarian surgeon working in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Rwanda spoke about women in urgent need of lifesaving caesareans and children with congenital conditions kept from the opportunity of attending school.
“We now know that five billion people lack access to surgery,” says Dr Kaseje. “But operationally, we are far behind. Access alone isn’t enough. Poor-quality surgical services can worsen outcomes. We need to ensure access to high-quality care, especially in fragile and rural contexts.”
Echoing that, Dr Barnabas Alayande, General Surgeon and faculty member at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, said:
“Even after training 2,500 surgeons since 2015, the surgical workforce density has barely increased, just 0.06 per 100,000. At the current pace of workforce development, it could take 300 years to train enough surgeons to meet global demand.
“We need to start thinking creatively: leveraging technology like telementoring, hub-and-spoke models, and place-based education to improve rural retention. We must rethink who we train, where and how.”
Understanding the global picture
Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Ghana’s Minister of Health, delivered a powerful address, underscoring the nation’s commitment to equitable surgical care.
Highlighting the September 2024 launch of Ghana’s National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP), he framed access to surgical services as a matter of justice, not just health.
In less than a year, Ghana has assessed over 100 facilities for surgical facilities, trained more than 300 providers, and procured essential equipment.
“Surgical indicators have been incorporated into Ghana’s national health information system (DHIMS), and the country is moving toward a 20% salary incentive for health workers in rural areas to improve retention,” says Akandoh.
While Ghana demonstrates what is possible, other nations remain stalled. Dr Emmanuel Makasa, a longtime advocate and orthopaedic surgeon, emphasised that political will must translate into horizontal integration, not isolated or vertical programmes.
“Innovation is also essential. We need regional collaboration to produce critical surgical supplies such as sutures, blades, and IV fluids, so countries can support each other and reduce dependency. Sustainability comes not from rhetoric, but from action, integration, and innovation that is rooted in system-wide responsibility.”
Partnership as a driving force
To close the evening, Dr Walt Johnson, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Mercy Ships, underscored that partnerships are not just rhetoric; they are the engine driving progress in global surgery.
“If you recall, Millennium Development Goal 8 was about partnerships. So is SDG 17, which remains in existence until 2030,” he said. “Every one of you, whether from member states, regional offices, or academic institutions, has a role and is a partner. Everything we do depends on partnership. It’s fundamental to getting across the finish line for global surgery.”
With stronger policy implementation, coordinated action, and a shared commitment to equity, the global health community is moving closer to a future where access to surgery is not a privilege but a guarantee for all.
Thank you for playing your part in helping Mercy Ships to bring free, life-changing surgeries to women, men and children across sub-Saharan Africa.
Please donate to support this vital work.