Comprehensive Analysis of Emergency and Essential Surgical Capacity in Zimbabwean Public Hospitals: A National Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract Background: Access to surgical care is an essential component of universal health coverage, but surgical capacity is lacking in many low- and middle-income countries. Surgical capacity in Zimbabwe, a lower-middle income country, is undocumented. The objective of this study was to assess surgical capacity in public hospitals in Zimbabwe.

Methods: A national hospital survey was performed in 2019 using a validated surgical situational analysis tool. the investigators included district, provincial and central hospitals in the public sector across all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. Data was collected from key informants using an online survey. information gathered included an inventory of infrastructural components required to perform essential surgical services, a survey of healthcare workers involved in surgical care (the Surgical Anaesthetic and Obstetric workforce); a submission of the number of surgical procedures including bellwether procedures performed over the course of the last year and also surgical sundries and consumables required to perform surgical services.