Elaborated plan for incoming surgical emergency management in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Background:

Globally, there has been an increase in injuries as a major cause of death. This burden is mainly due to an increase in road traffic injuries, and it poses an enormous burden in low- and middle-income countries. Musculoskeletal and head injuries are the most prevalent ones, which has led to an overcrowding of traumatic surgical emergencies.

Methodology:

An unrestricted search was done in different research databases for articles published in English between January 2005 and November 2017 focusing on traumatic surgical emergencies.

Results:

The past several decades on the global health landscape are notable for increases in traumatic surgical emergencies. Although this burden of surgical emergencies is universal, high-income countries have implemented measures including mass casualty incident management, which continuously reduces the mortality and morbidity of trauma-related injuries. Nonindustrialized countries are facing almost the same burden, but there is still a lack of enough sustainable measures for combating this burden. Nevertheless, the Rwandan pre-hospital emergency care service (SAMU) which integrate pre-hospital services, has contributed a lot in the management of emergencies in Rwanda. Limb and head injuries are increasing, and there is a trend that this would continue.

Conclusion:

A global upward shift in traumatic surgical emergencies was noted for the past several decades. This trend will continue, and it poses a significant burden in Sub-Saharan Africa, along with worldwide. The Sub-Saharan African mortality and morbidity rates are increasing in regard to traumatic surgical emergencies. Task shifting, initiation of similar systems such as SAMU, increase in workforce, conducting enough research, mass casualty incident protocols implementation, and zero tolerance in regard to alcohol or psychoactive substances by road users are recommendations from this review.

Keywords::

• traumatic surgical emergencies
• road traffic injuries
• musculoskeletal and head injuries

Acknowledgments

The contributions of Dr Bennie Alan, Dr Munyaneza Robert, and Dr Umugwaneza Nathalie are highly appreciated.

Disclosure

The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.