Browsing by Author "Luboga, Samuel"

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    The Neglect of the Global Surgical Workforce: Experience and Evidence from Uganda
    (World journal of surgery, 2008) Ozgediz, Doruk; Galukande, Moses; Mabweijano, Jacqueline; Kijjambu, Stephen; Mijumbi, Cephas; Dubowitz, Gerald; Kaggwa, Samuel; Luboga, Samuel
    Africa’s health workforce crisis has recently been emphasized by major international organizations. As a part of this discussion, it has become apparent that the workforce required to deliver surgical services has been significantly neglected. Methods This paper reviews some of the reasons for this relative neglect and emphasizes its importance to health systems and public health. We report the first comprehensive analysis of the surgical workforce in Uganda, identify challenges to workforce development, and evaluate current programs addressing these challenges. This was performed through a literature review, analysis of existing policies to improve surgical access, and pilot retrospective studies of surgical output and workforce in nine rural hospitals.
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    Recasting the role of the surgeon in Uganda: a proposal to maximize the impact of surgery on public health
    (Tropical Medicine & International Health, 2009) Luboga, Samuel; Galukande, Moses; Ozgediz, Doruk
    A growing body of recent evidence supports the essential role of surgical services in improving population health in low-income countries. Nonetheless, access to surgical services in Uganda, as in many low income countries, is severely limited, largely due to constraints in human resources, infrastructure and supplies. To maximize the impact of surgical services on population health in the context of Uganda’s limited surgical workforce, we propose a ‘recasting’ of the role of the surgeon. Traditionally, the surgeon has played primarily a clinical role in patient care. The demands and isolation of this role have limited the ability of the surgeon to tackle health systems issues related to surgery. Now, the clinical and educational role played by surgeons must be redefined, and the surgeon must also assume a greater role in leadership, management and public health advocacy by documenting the unmet need for surgery and the resources required to improve access to care. Policy and incentives for specialist surgeons to spend amounts of time apportioned to these roles should be developed and supported by health care institutions. Political leadership and commitment will be critical to realizing this ideal. Such a model may be applicable to other countries seeking to maximize the impact of surgical services on population health.