Imagine a young mother in a rural village, diagnosed with appendicitis. Without access to safe surgery, a treatable condition becomes a life-threatening ordeal. This harsh reality faces millions here in Kenya and around the world, where a lack of surgical care puts countless lives at risk.
As I continue my series on lessons from Harvard University, I want to delve into the issue of influence, by surgeons beyond the operating room. Access to anaesthesia and surgical care is often overlooked as a component of global health.
Some 90 per cent (more than one billion) of people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to safe, timely and affordable surgical and anaesthesia care. Shockingly, it is estimated that 16.9 million, or 32.9 per cent, of all deaths are due to the lack of anaesthesia and surgical care.
Therefore, surgeons, like me, have a crucial role to play not just within the operating room, but as leaders and advocates for accessible surgical care. It is about steering interests towards shared objectives, spurring innovation, and upholding the highest standards of patient care.
My experiences with heading a surgical department at Kenyatta National Hospital, and lately through my Global Surgery Advocacy Fellowship, have reshaped my understanding of what effective leadership in surgery entails.
A crucial component of leadership in healthcare is the ability to visualise one's journey. Effective leadership starts with self-awareness.
Reflecting on my experiences at Kenyatta National Hospital and the Global Surgery Advocacy Fellowship, I've learnt the power of collaboration and innovation. By fostering a culture that welcomes new ideas, we can develop efficient processes and novel techniques that improve surgical outcomes.
Leadership is also fundamentally about innovation. In my practice, I've seen how innovative strategies can drastically improve surgical outcomes and operational efficiencies. And as mentioned in my previous article, innovation does not necessarily have to be high tech to be effective.
At Harvard, we are exploring novel educational methods and development not only of surgical techniques, but also processes that can significantly enhance our service delivery. These experiences underscore the importance of fostering an environment where new ideas are welcomed and tested.
However, leadership alone isn't enough to overcome the global challenges in surgery and healthcare. My fellowship is teaching me the critical role of advocacy—engaging with the public, policymakers and professional peers to address the pressing issues of resource limitations and awareness. This involves not just dialogue but active participation in shaping policies that influence healthcare delivery.
For instance, through advocacy, we can work towards better resource allocation that ensures all healthcare facilities, especially in low-resource settings, are equipped to provide essential services. Moreover, by raising awareness among policymakers and the public, we can secure support for necessary reforms in healthcare infrastructure and training.
In practice, this means leveraging every platform available to discuss and advocate these changes. It could be through academic conferences, public forums, or direct engagements with government bodies. Each interaction is an opportunity to advance the dialogue on how to improve access to quality surgical care globally.
Adding to the pillars of leadership and advocacy is the principle of continuous improvement, which is vital for fostering a culture of ongoing enhancement and adaptation. This approach is crucial for maintaining high standards in patient care and operational efficiency. It involves systematically analysing and refining processes, which leads to better outcomes, innovation, and increased patient satisfaction.
Implementing a continuous improvement strategy requires leadership that is committed to change and a team that is ready to embrace new challenges and learn from them. For instance, regular debriefings after significant cases, as part of this strategy, can provide valuable insights and foster a shared commitment to improving practice.
As we move forward, the lessons from my experiences at Harvard and with the Global Surgery Advocacy Fellowship will continue to influence my approach.
Leadership in healthcare is about more than just managing teams; it's about being a catalyst for change. By combining effective leadership with robust advocacy and a commitment to continuous improvement, we can ensure that the future of global health is one where equitable access to surgical care is not just an aspiration but a reality.
I would encourage all my fellow surgeons to see themselves as more than “Kings” of the operating room and realise that their voices are also needed to impact how effective they are in those operating rooms.
Orthopaedic surgeon and a 2024 Global Surgery Advocacy Fellow
