Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39908290›Full record

ArticlePLOS global public health2025

A cross-sectional study of essential surgical, obstetric, and anaesthesia care capacity in the public sector in Fiji.

Ashneel Sundar, Jope Makutu, Ifereimi Waqainabete, Grace Zhang, Jemesa Tudravu, Josese Turagava, Kiki Maoate, Rajeev Patel, Rennie Xinrui Qin

Abstract read
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Article in PLOS global public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Ashneel SundarDepartment of Surgery, Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, Fiji.
Jope MakutuDepartment of Surgery, Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, Fiji.
Ifereimi WaqainabeteDepartment of Surgery, Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, Fiji.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2689-6955
Grace ZhangKellogg Institute for International Studies, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America.
Jemesa TudravuMinistry of Health and Medical Services of Fiji, Suva, Fiji.
Josese TuragavaDepartment of Surgery, Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, Fiji.
Kiki MaoateDepartment of Paediatric Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Rajeev PatelDepartment of Surgery, Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, Fiji.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3871-0898
Rennie Xinrui QinThe Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2167-1500

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery indicator collection highlighted gaps in surgical, obstetric, and anaesthesia (SOA) care in Fiji. Our study is the first comprehensive assessment of essential SOA care capacity in Fiji to guide national surgical planning. In February 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of public hospitals in Fiji using the World Health Organization-Program in Global Surgery and Social Change surgical assessment tool. We surveyed 18 facilities, including three divisional hospitals (DHs) and 15 subdivisional hospitals (SDHs). Twenty-two functional operating rooms (ORs) and 27 post-anaesthesia care beds served 884,887 people. Surgical care was concentrated in DHs and only delivered in select SDHs during outreaches. While SDHs had OR space, they lacked equipment, supplies, and human resources. From 2016 to 2021, surgical volume per 100,000 population increased by approximately 50% from 1,490 to 2,248; however, SOA specialists density per 100,000 population increased marginally from 5.8 to 7.1. There is significant variation across divisions. The Northern division has more ORs (4.55), SOA specialists (9.1), and surgical volume (3,731) per 100,000 population than the Central (2.40, 7.9, 2,367) and Western (1.78, 5.3, 1,519) divisions. This is due to more OR space and functioning, specialist post creation, and outreach services to SDHs. Policy recommendations include upgrading key SDHs with essential SOA care capacity, growing the SOA workforce, strengthening facility maintenance and climate resilience, and strengthening outreach programs. Investment in surgical care capacity must be urgently increased to meet the population's needs.

Identifiers

PMID39908290
PMCPMC11798476

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.