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Achieving Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia (SOTA) care for all in South Asia

2024; Frontiers Media; Volume: 12; Linguagem: Inglês

10.3389/fpubh.2024.1325922

2296-2565

Siddhesh Zadey, Shirish Rao, Isha Gondi, Natalie Sheneman, Chaitrali Patil, Anveshi Nayan, Himanshu Iyer, Arti Raj Kumar, Arun Prasad, G. Allen Finley, Chellapuram Raja Krishna Prasad, Chintamani Chintamani, Dhananjaya Sharma, Dhruva Ghosh, Jesudian Gnanaraj, Irum Fatima, Jogi V. Pattisapu, Justin Sangwook Ko, Lovenish Bains, Mashal Murad Shah, Mohammed Shadrul Alam, Narmada Hadigal, Naveen Malhotra, Nilmini Wijesuriya, Prateek Shukla, Sadaf Khan, Sunil Pandya, Tariq Khan, Tashi Tenzin, Venkat Raja Hadiga, Daniel Peterson,

Global Maternal and Child Health

South Asia is a demographically crucial, economically aspiring, and socio-culturally diverse region in the world. The region contributes to a large burden of surgically-treatable disease conditions. A large number of people in South Asia cannot access safe and affordable surgical, obstetric, trauma, and anesthesia (SOTA) care when in need. Yet, attention to the region in Global Surgery and Global Health is limited. Here, we assess the status of SOTA care in South Asia. We summarize the evidence on SOTA care indicators and planning. Region-wide, as well as country-specific challenges are highlighted. We also discuss potential directions—initiatives and innovations—toward addressing these challenges. Local partnerships, sustained research and advocacy efforts, and politics can be aligned with evidence-based policymaking and health planning to achieve equitable SOTA care access in the South Asian region under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).