On 15 May 2025, Operation Smile was proud to support the National Strategic Meeting on Safe Surgical Care, hosted in Johannesburg by the SA Safe Surgical Care Technical Working Group (TWG). This important gathering brought together leaders from the National and Provincial Departments of Health, top surgical experts, and civil society stakeholders to tackle one of South Africa’s most pressing health challenges: the accessibility and safety of surgical care.
With the theme “Data-Driven Solutions for Safe Surgical Care”, the meeting focused on two urgent priorities:
- Addressing the growing burden of surgical backlogs, and
- Enhancing surgical safety across all levels of the health system.
Safe Surgery Chairperson, Prof Salome Maswime is pictured with NDOH DDG Dr Percy Mahlati, who delivered the keynote address, and Sarah Scarth, Executive Director of Operation Smile South Africa.
“Despite significant advancements and world-class innovations in surgical care in South Africa, access remains uneven across regions and between the different sectors,” said Professor Salome Maswime, Chairperson of the SA Safe Surgical Care TWG.
“Specialist surgeons are often concentrated in tertiary and academic hospitals, while non-specialist clinicians are performing three times as many surgeries, often under-resourced, in district and regional hospitals. The pandemic has further exacerbated surgical backlogs, and national efforts to address these challenges remain fragmented. In addition, data systems and policy frameworks for surgical care are still underdeveloped.”
Established by the National Department of Health in May 2020, the TWG advises on key surgical care issues and promotes equitable access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical, anaesthesia, and obstetric (SOTA) services, in line with South Africa’s commitment to universal health coverage.
By aligning national priorities and strengthening evidence-based, systems-level solutions, this strategic meeting represents a pivotal step towards more equitable, timely, and safe surgical care for all South Africans.
As Operation Smile, we’re committed to working alongside government and partners to bridge gaps in surgical access, starting with cleft care, and extending far beyond.
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