Africa is facing a significant health care challenge. By 2030, the continent is expected to experience a deficit of over 6 million health care professionals. For every 10 000 people, Africa has only two doctors and 11 nurses and midwives. Compare this to North America – where there are 41 doctors and 113 nurses per 10 000 people.
Africa also has the fewest surgeons and anesthesiologists per capita worldwide.
Across the continent, millions of people are unable to access life-saving surgical care owing to the shortage of trained professionals and the lack of proper health care infrastructure. From traumatic injuries to treatable conditions, the need for more surgical care providers is urgent.
This is a crisis that can’t be solved by one group alone. It requires collaboration from all sectors – governments, private organizations, health care providers, and global health advocates – to come up with sustainable solutions.
That’s why the first Pan-African Surgical Conference in February 2025 was so important. It brought together leading experts, surgeons, policymakers, and organizations to share ideas, create partnerships, and find innovative ways to address Africa’s surgical care shortage.
Strengthening health systems in Africa is a focus of Operation Smile. It’s not just about addressing the current shortfall – but creating a sustainable health care system that can handle future demands. We need to focus on infrastructure, building capacity for health care workers, and implementing policies that ensure equitable access to health care for all communities, including those in remote or under-served areas.
Operation Smile at the Pan African Surgical Conference.
The goal was clear: to build a healthier, more resilient Africa, where everyone has access to the care they need. By working together we can begin to create long-term solutions to Africa’s health care challenges.