The Safe Surgery and Anesthesia (SaSA) Program

Five billion people worldwide lack access to safe surgical and anesthesia services. In 2010, almost 16.9 million people lost their lives from conditions that needed surgical care. This is more than four times the number of those who died from HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria combined. Those who are able to access surgery run the risk of catastrophic healthcare costs. Unsafe surgical and anesthesia services can lead to mortality or complications. According to WHO studies, up to 25% of patients suffer from complications after inpatient operations and the adverse outcomes in at least half of the cases are preventable. In some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, mortality from general anesthesia alone is reported to be as high as one in 150. Investment in safe surgery and anesthesia in low and middle-income countries is cost-effective, saves lives and will promote economic growth. An estimated 12.3 trillion dollars in GDP will be lost in these countries if no investment is made in surgical and anesthesia care.

The Safe Surgery and Anesthesia (SaSA) program was initiated to meet the challenges that limit access and delivery of safe surgical and anesthesia care. The acronym spells the Swahili word ‘sasa’ meaning ‘now’ which brings to light the urgency with which the solutions to this problem need to be implemented and sustained. CPHD is committed to the development and implementation of innovative projects that address systemic challenges that limit effective service delivery. Our focus in SaSA is on the whole spectrum from surgical capacity to anesthesia care and all support services including perioperative nursing and adjunct services (lab, imaging, and pharmacy). Our interventions seek to improve capacity in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and human resources to meet the needs of a high-quality surgical system. Our processes are informed by a strong body of evidence where we regularly collect and analyze data to help identify interventions that work, areas for improvement, and activities that need to be phased out.

Safe Surgery

Surgery is the only option of treatment in many cases. The number of surgeries being performed is increasing worldwide. However, instead of being life-saving, surgeries are costing lives or causing damages because of unsafe practices. According to WHO studies, up to 25% of patients suffer from complications after inpatient operations and the adverse outcomes in at least half of the cases are preventable. In some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, mortality from general anesthesia alone is reported to be as high as one in 150. CPHD has designed a comprehensive to reduce errors and adverse outcomes in surgical cases.