Spotlight: Member Side Events report
InciSioN supported by Operation Smile: Operating for Equity: Strengthening Surgical Systems to Achieve UHC
The wonderful team at InciSioN conducted a lively panel debate chaired by partnership lead, Neharaj Pitla. On the panel was a variety of professionals including Ambassador Jimmy Kolker (diplomat), Professor Emmanual Makasa (Zambian surgeon and global surgery champion), Dr Chris Dodgion (assistant professor of surgery), Dr Yee Siew Lim (ex-InciSioN chair), Professor Daniela Filipescu (President WFSA) and Ambassador Dr Karin Tegmark Wisell (Swedish Ambassador for Global Health). After a wonderful short film outlining the importance of global surgery, opening remarks were made by InciSioN Chair, Dr Angela Mei Seiler Torres. She reinforced InciSioN’s mission to support dignity and equity; “[We must] unite to develop surgical systems across SOTA care and nursing.” Dr Pratyash Kumar echoed these sentiments saying; “Equity today not tomorrow”.
The panel began discussing global surgery funding for which Dr Wisell has secured €400 million from the Swedish Government for global surgery and sexual and reproductive health. She also discussed the importance of tackling anti-microbial resistance (AMR) for global surgery and “[We need] an initiative to raise the voice of people in need to safe accessible care.” Ambassador Kolker echoed these sentiments stating that what we need is patient advocates to work out where the needs are. Dr Wisell said; “the greatest gains are in the group with the highest needs… we must engage with all stakeholders.”
Dr Chris Dodgion outlined the lack of data collected since 2017. Ambassador Kolker reinforced the need for teamwork and cooperation because global surgery cannot just rely on surgeons but also health economists to show the economic value of improving surgical systems for governments and politicians who can lobby and legislate to fund and create national surgical plans.
Professor Daniela Filipescu talked extensively about the importance of anaesthesia in the SOTA discussion and focussed especially on blood management. This is extremely important given the lack on donor blood available and can have a huge impact on patient outcomes after surgery. Blood management can start before surgery, including prophylactic treatments for conditions like anaemia which will reduce blood loss.
Finally, Dr Yee Siew Lim compared her medical school training in Malaysia to her current role in the NHS in the UK. She described the differences from working in a middle income country like Malaysia to a high income country like Great Britain where quality improvement measures are built in to the training by
doing audits and research.
To find out more, contact our member InciSioN. Click here
GAPSBiF: Accelerating Action on Micronutrient Deficiencies and Their Consequences, including Spina Bifida: Delivering on WHA 76.19 through Large-Scale Food Fortification
Closing Remarks – WHA78 LSFF Side Event
Prof. Kemel A. Ghotme, MD, PhD
“Today, we witnessed a powerful confluence of science, leadership, and commitment.
I want to begin by sincerely thanking our distinguished speakers, including the honorable representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Oman, Pakistan, and the Philippines, as well as our insightful panelists from diverse organizations and countries. My gratitude also extends to our dedicated co-hosts: UNICEF, GAIN, the Micronutrient Forum, the G4 Alliance, Helen Keller International, the Iodine Global Network, the World Food Programme, GAPSBiF, the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, and the Food Fortification Initiative.
From all the interventions today, three key messages resonate clearly:
1. The evidence is overwhelming: Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) saves lives, prevents disabilities, and builds resilience.
2. The opportunity is within reach: Full implementation of WHA Resolution 76.19 could prevent 200,000 neural tube defect cases globally each year, and more than 60,000 pregnancy terminations attributable to micronutrient deficiencies. This is in addition to the countless instances of preventable micronutrient deficiencies affecting the broader population.
3. The momentum is real: The national experiences shared today prove that LSFF is both achievable and impactful at scale. We are not starting from scratch—we are building on a solid and inclusive foundation.
However, for LSFF to truly succeed, it demands political will, sustainable investment, and long-term commitment, especially in implementation, scaling up, monitoring, and surveillance.
As we look ahead to the first progress report to the WHO Secretariat in the coming year, I would like to briefly share findings from a cross-sectional study we conducted at the University of La Sabana in Colombia. We analyzed the regulatory status of food fortification across all 194 WHO Member States, triangulating reliable sources such as the Global Fortification Data Exchange, FFI, FAO, and official national reports. Then, we used a validated scale to classify the need for regulatory change as: urgent, high, medium, or unnecessary.
Here’s what we found:
- 37.24% of countries urgently require legislative modifications for mandatory folic acid fortification.
- 60.2% require a high level of policy change.
- Only 1.02% have comprehensive regulations covering all evaluated staple foods.
- Asia and Africa showed the greatest need for reform, followed by Europe, while the Americas displayed significant compliance—though with clear room for improvement.
These findings underscore that while progress has been made, much remains to be done.
Let me leave you with three unmissable takeaways:
1. Urgency: Two billion people still suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. This is unacceptable—and, more importantly, preventable.
2. Equity: Food fortification is among the most cost-effective, safe, and equitable public health interventions available.
3. Opportunity: The WHA resolution is more than a policy—it is a platform to mobilize global political will.
The resolution opens the door to stronger accountability, smarter investments, and more effective coordination. The time to act is now. We must:
- Support governments in implementing LSFF policies.
- Leverage global partnerships to scale innovation.
- Ensure that communities are engaged and fully benefit from these policies.
So, here is our call to the world: Let us speak with one voice:
Fortification is a moral imperative and a smart investment. Together, we can (and we must) end hidden hunger.
Thank you.”
To find out more about this, contact our member University of Alabama. Click here.
GSF WHA78 – Accelerating Catalytic Financing in a New Era
Ms Femi Oki held 3 quick fire panels at this year’s Global Surgery Foundation side event. The first panel focussed on “The new Paradigm for Global Health Financing – What is it?” with Professor Rifat Atun (current president of the GSF), Dr Sanjana Bhardwaj (Gates Foundation) and Dr Kennedy Lishimpi (Zambia Ministry of Health) sitting on the panel. The discussion centred around reviewing the future of global surgery. All the panellists agreed that although we are at a cross roads in our quest to reach universal healthcare coverage (UHC), the future is bright. The next essential steps include teamwork, listening to the needs of the neglected surgical patient, interior finance re-structuring to create sustainable national surgical plans that rely less on out-of-country funding – Dr Lishimpi gave some specific examples in the Republic of Zambia of how they are raising funds from the population to pay for their healthcare system.
The second panel focussed on relationships and work the GSF had completed with local partners to improve patient outcomes in LMIC settings; “ Unpacking Achievements and Preparing for Greater Impact”. We travelling around the word with panelists; from northern Nigeria, Professor Hadiza Galadanci, who has been spearheading renovation of surgical units to improving outcomes for maternal health to John Varallo, lead of the GSF Womens Health Programme, who has been assisting with building surgical workforce capacity with local led projects by strong local leaders, ministries and more. Next Professor Peter Donkor, from Ghana, who has been owrkign with Smile Train to build Centres of Excellence for cleft lip and palate surgery – by building these in Ghana it enables surgeons to have practical hands on experience rather than the observership only experience they can be offered in High Income Countries (HICs) like USA and finally Dr Saroja Karki Pande in Nepal where they have been training to improve working systems for perioperative care
The final panel comprised of GSF partners; Dr Vishal Shah of Fessing Medical, Ms Alice Lin Fabiano from Johnson and Johnson and Mr Gareth Wood from Kids OR. In collaboration with the GSF, all of these organisations have been able to improve patient outcomes in LMICs from granting affordable means to access to medications to improving outcomes for maternal health to building 100 operating theatres in sub-Saharan Africa. Pledges were made by Kids OR to build another 100 hospitals before 2030 and provide drug access, education and training to more countries and investing in training through SurgHub.
