Global neurosurgery: current and potential impact of neurosurgeons at the World Health Organization and the World Health Assembly. Executive summary of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies-World Health Organization Liaison Committee at the 71st World Health Assembly

Authors

Gail Rosseau, Midwest Neurosurgical Associates, Oak Brook, Illinois.
Walter D. Johnson, Emergency and Essential Surgical Care Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Kee B. Park, Global Neurosurgery Initiative, Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Miguel Arráez Sánchez, Department of Neurosurgery, Regional University Hospital of Malaga, Spain.
Franco Servadei, Department of Neurosurgery, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy; and.
Kerry A. Vaughan, Global Neurosurgery Initiative, Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Since the creation of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948, the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) has been the major forum for discussion, debate, and approval of the global health agenda. As such, it informs the framework for the policies and budgets of many of its Member States. For most of its history, a significant portion of the attention of health ministers and Member States has been given to issues of clean water, vaccination, and communicable diseases. For neurosurgeons, the adoption of WHA Resolution 68.15 changed the global health landscape because the importance of surgical care for universal health coverage was highlighted in the document. This resolution was adopted in 2015, shortly after the publication of The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery Report titled "Global Surgery 2030: evidence and solutions for achieving health, welfare and economic development." Mandating global strengthening of emergency and essential surgical care and anesthesia, this resolution has led to the formation of surgical and anesthesia collaborations that center on WHO and can be facilitated via the WHA. Participation by neurosurgeons has grown dramatically, in part due to the official relations between WHO and the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, with the result that global neurosurgery is gaining momentum.

Medical Subject Headings

Advisory Committees; Anesthesiology; Global Health; Humans; Interprofessional Relations; Intersectoral Collaboration; Neurosurgeons; Neurosurgery; Societies, Medical; World Health Organization

Publication Date

10-1-2018

Publication Title

Neurosurgical focus

E-ISSN

1092-0684

Volume

45

Issue

4

First Page

E18

PubMed ID

30269578

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3171/2018.7.FOCUS18295

Recommended Citation

Rosseau, Gail; Johnson, Walter D.; Park, Kee B.; Arráez Sánchez, Miguel; Servadei, Franco; and Vaughan, Kerry A., "Global neurosurgery: current and potential impact of neurosurgeons at the World Health Organization and the World Health Assembly. Executive summary of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies-World Health Organization Liaison Committee at the 71st World Health Assembly" (2018). Neurosurgery. 1739.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurosurgery/1739