Letter to the Editor: The Establishment of a New Chapter in the Neurosurgical Care of Patients with Limited Resources in Peru

Background: The unmet neurosurgical need has remained patent in developing countries, including Peru. However, continuous efforts to overcome the lack of affordable care have been achieved, being neurosurgical missions one of the main strategies. We chronicle the humanitarian labor of organizations from high-income countries during their visit to Peru, the contributions to local trainees’ education, and the treatment of underserved patients. Furthermore, we discuss the embedded challenges from these missions and the future perspective on long-term partnerships and sustainability. Methods: This is a narrative review. We searched the literature in PubMed and Google Scholar about neurosurgical missions conducted in Peru. Results: Since 1962, twelve organizations from high-income countries have delivered humanitarian help in Peru by training local neurosurgeons, treating low-income patients, and providing surgical instrumentation. Out of the three main regions of Peru, cities on the coast and highlands have hosted most of these missions, with no reported outreach in the amazon area. About 75% of the organizations are headquartered in the United States, followed by Canada, Luxembourg, and Spain. In addition, 50% of the organizations have an active partnership. The predominant focus of these missions has been pediatrics, neuro-oncology, and spine surgery. Conclusion: Neurosurgical missions have represented a strategy to close the disparity in education and treatment in Peru. However, additional efforts must be conducted to improve long-term partnership and sustainability, such as adopting standardized indicators for progress tracking, incorporating remote technologies for continuous training and communication, and expanding partnerships in less attended areas.

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“…[ 24 , 37 ] Notably, the affiliated chapters across the globe are raising funds to cover the cost of underserved patients’ treatment. [ 4 ]…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The humanitarian aid of neurosurgical missions in Peru: A chronicle and future perspectives

Bocanegra-Becerra¹,

Castillo-Huerta²,

Ludeña-Esquivel³

et al. 2022

Surgical Neurology International

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Letter to the Editor: The Establishment of a New Chapter in the Neurosurgical Care of Patients with Limited Resources in Peru

Cited by 1 publication

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The humanitarian aid of neurosurgical missions in Peru: A chronicle and future perspectives

The humanitarian aid of neurosurgical missions in Peru: A chronicle and future perspectives

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