1Department of Neurosurgery, Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda.
2National Center for Rehabilitation and Neurosciences, Hôpital des Spécialités de Rabat.
Neurosurg Focus. 2020 Mar 1;48(3):E4. doi: 10.3171/2019.12.FOCUS19853.
OBJECTIVE: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) represents 17% of the world's land, 14% of the population, and 1% of the gross domestic product. Previous reports have indicated that 81/500 African neurosurgeons (16.2%) worked in SSA-i.e., 1 neurosurgeon per 6 million inhabitants. Over the past decades, efforts have been made to improve neurosurgery availability in SSA. In this study, the authors provide an update by means of the polling of neurosurgeons who trained in North Africa and went back to practice in SSA. METHODS: Neurosurgeons who had full training at the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) Rabat Training Center (RTC) over the past 16 years were polled with an 18-question survey focused on demographics, practice/case types, and operating room equipment availability. RESULTS: Data collected from all 21 (100%) WFNS RTC graduates showed that all neurosurgeons returned to work to SSA in 12 different countries, 90% working in low-income and 10% in lower-middle-income countries, defined by the World Bank as a Gross National Income per capita of ≤ US$995 and US$996-$3895, respectively. The cumulative population in the geographical areas in which they practice is 267 million, with a total of 102 neurosurgeons reported, resulting in 1 neurosurgeon per 2.62 million inhabitants. Upon return to SSA, WFNS RTC graduates were employed in public/private hospitals (62%), military hospitals (14.3%), academic centers (14.3%), and private practice (9.5%). The majority reported an even split between spine and cranial and between trauma and elective; 71% performed between 50 and more than 100 neurosurgical procedures/year. Equipment available varied across the cohort. A CT scanner was available to 86%, MRI to 38%, surgical microscope to 33%, endoscope to 19.1%, and neuronavigation to 0%. Three (14.3%) neurosurgeons had access to none of the above. CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgery availability in SSA has significantly improved over the past decade thanks to the dedication of senior African neurosurgeons, organizations, and volunteers who believed in forming the new neurosurgery generation in the same continent where they practice. Challenges include limited resources and the need to continue expanding efforts in local neurosurgery training and continuing medical education. Focus on affordable and low-maintenance technology is needed.
目的:撒哈拉以南非洲(SSA)占世界土地的 17%,占世界人口的 14%,占国内生产总值的 1%。先前的报告表明,在非洲的 500 名神经外科医生中,有 81 名(16.2%)在 SSA 工作,即每 600 万居民中有 1 名神经外科医生。在过去的几十年中,人们一直在努力提高 SSA 的神经外科学可及性。在这项研究中,作者通过对在北非接受培训并返回 SSA 执业的神经外科医生进行调查,提供了最新信息。
方法:对过去 16 年来在世界神经外科学会联合会(WFNS)拉巴特培训中心(RTC)接受全面培训的神经外科医生进行了问卷调查,调查内容集中在人口统计学、手术/病例类型以及手术室设备的可用性。
结果:从所有 21 名(100%)WFNS RTC 毕业生那里收集的数据显示,所有神经外科医生都回到了 12 个不同国家的 SSA 工作,其中 90%在低收入国家工作,10%在中下收入国家工作,世界银行为这些国家设定的人均国民总收入(GNI)上限分别为 995 美元和 996-3895 美元。他们执业的地理区域的总人口为 2.67 亿,共有 102 名神经外科医生,即每 262 万居民中有 1 名神经外科医生。回到 SSA 后,WFNS RTC 的毕业生在公立医院/私立医院(62%)、军队医院(14.3%)、学术中心(14.3%)和私人诊所(9.5%)工作。大多数人报告称,他们在脊柱和颅面之间以及创伤和择期手术之间的分配比例相当;71%的人每年进行 50 次以上的神经外科手术。设备的可用性因队列而异。86%的人可以使用 CT 扫描仪,38%的人可以使用 MRI,33%的人可以使用手术显微镜,19.1%的人可以使用内窥镜,0%的人可以使用神经导航。有 3 名(14.3%)神经外科医生无法获得上述任何一种设备。
结论:过去十年中,撒哈拉以南非洲的神经外科学可及性有了显著提高,这要归功于非洲资深神经外科医生、组织和志愿者的努力,他们相信在他们执业的大陆上培养新一代神经外科医生。挑战包括资源有限以及需要继续扩大当地神经外科学培训和继续教育的努力。需要关注负担得起和低维护成本的技术。
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