Open Access to Surgery is the Essential Foundation to Achieving Universal Health Coverage – Africa24 TV

Pan-African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF) 2025: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals through Surgical System Strengthening

Executive Summary: Alignment with Global Health and Development Agendas

The third Pan-African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF) 2025 convened to accelerate the integration of surgical healthcare into national health systems across Africa, directly contributing to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The forum, themed ‘From Policy to Practice – expanding Africa’s Multidisciplinary Surgical Workforce: What Works for Africa?’, emphasized translating policy commitments into tangible actions. This initiative is critical for achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), particularly Target 3.8 concerning Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and supports broader goals related to poverty reduction (SDG 1), gender equality (SDG 5), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and global partnerships (SDG 17).

Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The forum exemplified a robust multi-stakeholder partnership, a cornerstone of SDG 17. It brought together a diverse group of actors committed to a common health objective.

• World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO)
• WHO Ethiopia Country Office
• Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
• The African Union (AU)
• Representatives from 42 African Ministries of Health and Finance
• Non-governmental partners, including Mercy Ships

This collaboration is instrumental in mobilizing financial resources, sharing technical expertise, and building capacity to strengthen surgical, obstetric, and anesthesia care systems continent-wide.

National Strategic Planning for SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

A primary focus of the forum was the development and implementation of National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plans (NSOAPs). These plans are strategic roadmaps designed to achieve UHC by ensuring access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care, in line with UN General Assembly Resolution 68.15.

Case Study: Sierra Leone’s NSOAP 2026-2030

Dr. med. Mustapha Kabba, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Clinical Services of Sierra Leone, presented the nation’s newly launched NSOAP. Developed in partnership with organizations like Mercy Ships, the plan provides a budgeted framework to expand essential surgical services, directly addressing SDG Target 3.8.

Continental Progress

PASHeF serves as a key platform for collective progress, with numerous African nations advancing their own NSOAPs. Countries with established or developing plans include:

1. Ethiopia
2. Ghana
3. Nigeria
4. Rwanda
5. Madagascar
6. Tanzania

Addressing Health Disparities and Socio-Economic Impact (SDG 1 & SDG 10)

The forum addressed the critical issue of health inequality (SDG 10), as highlighted by the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery. Current global disparities include:

• An estimated 5 billion people lack access to safe and timely surgical care.
• Approximately 1.7 billion children are affected by treatable surgical conditions.

By expanding access to surgical interventions, nations can mitigate the catastrophic health expenditures that push families into poverty (SDG 1). Early surgical care not only saves lives but also enhances individuals’ capacity to participate in economic and social development, reducing inequality and fostering inclusive growth.

Resolutions and Future Directives

The forum concluded with the unanimous adoption of two resolutions by all participating governments, signaling a unified commitment to action. A significant outcome was the strengthening of the partnership with Africa CDC. As the technical health agency of the AU, Africa CDC is positioned to elevate PASHeF resolutions to the AU agenda, ensuring high-level political support and driving continent-wide implementation. Dr. Mekdes Daba, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, reinforced this by calling for bold, government-led strategies to place surgical care at the core of Africa’s journey towards UHC and the fulfillment of the SDGs.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on improving healthcare systems and fostering collaboration across Africa.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The core theme of the article is the strengthening of surgical, obstetric, and anesthesia care systems in Africa. It discusses efforts to provide safe, timely, and affordable surgical care, which is a fundamental component of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. The article explicitly mentions integrating essential surgery into national health systems as a core component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article heavily emphasizes the importance of collaboration. The Pan-African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF) itself is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together African governments (Ministries of Health and Finance), regional bodies (African Union, Africa CDC), international organizations (WHO), and non-governmental organizations (Mercy Ships) to achieve common healthcare goals. This collaborative approach is central to SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus, several specific targets under SDG 3 and SDG 17 can be identified:

1. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
   • Explanation: The article directly references the call to integrate essential surgery into national health systems as a “core component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).” The development of National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) by countries like Sierra Leone is a strategic roadmap to expand “safe, timely, and affordable surgical, obstetric, and anaesthetic care,” which aligns perfectly with this target.
2. Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals.
   • Explanation: The article describes how Mercy Ships, an international organization, collaborates with African nations to develop NSOAPs. The “About Mercy Ships” section further details this support, stating that the organization “provides training to local healthcare professionals and supports the construction of in-country medical infrastructure to leave a lasting impact,” which are direct examples of capacity-building.
3. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources.
   • Explanation: The PASHeF is presented as a “growing continental platform” that fosters collaboration. It brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including “WHO AFRO, WHO Ethiopia Country Office, the Africa CDC, the African Union (AU), along with 42 African Ministries of Health and Ministry of Finance,” and partners like Mercy Ships. This forum is designed to share successful models and translate commitments into action, embodying the spirit of a multi-stakeholder partnership.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not cite official SDG indicator codes, but it implies several qualitative and quantitative indicators that can measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 3.8 (UHC): The number of countries developing and implementing National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plans (NSOAPs). The article mentions Sierra Leone’s recently launched plan and lists Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Madagascar, and Tanzania as other countries with NSOAPs in various stages of development. Tracking the adoption and execution of these national plans serves as a clear indicator of progress toward integrating surgical care into UHC.
• Indicator for Target 17.9 (Capacity-building): The number of local healthcare professionals trained. The article states that Mercy Ships “provides training to local healthcare professionals.” Quantifying the number of surgeons, nurses, and anesthetists trained through such partnerships would be a direct measure of capacity-building efforts.
• Indicator for Target 17.16 (Partnerships): The number and scope of multi-stakeholder collaborations. The article points to the PASHeF as a key platform, noting the attendance of representatives from “42 African Ministries of Health.” The “unanimous adoption of two resolutions” and the “development of a strong partnership with Africa CDC” are specific outcomes that indicate the effectiveness and progress of these partnerships.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: africa24tv.com