The State of Surgical Research in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Urgent Call for Surgical Research Trainers

Abstract

Background: Surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is poorly developed because of years of neglect. Sustained research on global surgery led to its recognition as an indivisible and indispensable part of primary healthcare in 2015. However, this has had little visible effect on surgical ecosystems within LMICs, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). SSA surgical research systems strengthening, which includes skills transfer, with local priority setting driving the research agenda, is needed to propel global surgery into the future. Methods: The authors performed a literature review of the state of surgical research within SSA and also report the initial efforts of two research training nonprofits to empower young African surgeons with research skills. Results: Surgical research in SSA is disadvantaged even before it is birthed, facing monumental challenges at every stage of development, from research agenda determination to funding, study execution, and publication. Compared with a global output of 17.49 publications per 100,000 population, SSA produces 0.9 (P < 0.0001). The Surgeons in Humanitarian Alliance for Reconstructive, Research, and Education and Enabling Africa Clinical Health Research programs are involved in the longitudinal research mentorship of surgical residents within SSA; the improved quality of research and successful publications by participants suggest nascent steps in growing young surgical scientists. Conclusions: In the absence of an existing surgical research infrastructure within LMICs, global surgery research trainers should link up and collaborate to help develop a surgical research community that will provide the local data required to help transform the SSA surgical ecosystem.