To Improve Children’s Health in Low-Income Countries, Put Pediatric Surgery on Par with Preventing Malaria or HIV

Historically, investment in surgical care has been limited in low-income countries, where children are fourteen times more likely to die before age five than in high-income countries. The authors argue that with simple and affordable surgical care, children with treatable illnesses such as congenital anomalies, injuries, and infections could be saved. Networks of physicians funded by charitable donation and driven by commitments from the United Nations are integral to providing necessary surgical care, and the authors emphasize that the global health philanthropy community needs to pivot a larger portion of its focus to surgical programs in underserved countries.