Building back better children's surgical services toward universal health coverage: Perspectives from Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1073319
• Publication Date: 2023-01-25T12:14:22Z
• Authors: Dennis Mazingi; Tanvir Kabir Chow...; Tasmiah Tahera Aziz; Nowrin Tamanna; Kokila Lakhoo; Tahmina Banu; Saqif Mustafa
• Keywords: Global Health; Double burden; Neglected Tropical Diseases

This article is part of the Research Topic 'Health Systems Recovery in Context COVID-19 and Protracted Conflict'. Children's surgical services are crucial, yet underappreciated, for children's health must be sufficiently addressed to make sustain progress toward universal coverage (UHC). Despite their considerable burden socioeconomic cost, diseases have been relatively neglected favor communicable living up inauspicious moniker: 'the stepchild global health'. aims raise awareness around offers perspectives from two prototypical LMICs on strengthening context systems recovery following experience UHC.We used a focused literature review supplemented by local experts 6-components framework planning present case studies Bangladesh Zimbabwe. The lived experiences authors describe impact respective offer building back system recovering essential sustainability resilience.We found that limited high-level policy instruments, an overburdened under-resourced allied workforce, underdeveloped infrastructure (from key utilities medical products), lack locally generated research, specter prohibitively high out-of-pocket costs surgery common challenges both countries exacerbated pandemic.Continued chronic underinvestment inattention coupled with devastating effect pandemic threaten objectives. Urgent attention investment needed practice levels improve infrastructure; attract, retain train workforce; service delivery access equity considerations meet 2030 Lancet Commission goals, UHC SDGs.