Eleleta Surafel Abay

Surgical needs

Surgical Need in LMICs: The Hidden Burden

With this rapid shift of global disease burden to injuries and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), it remains important and necessary to turn global health attention towards developing intervention programmes and implementation strategies in prevention, early detection and timely intervention. However, there is still an enormous gap in the treatment options because only limited attention is being focused on surgical, obstetrical and anesthesia care, particularly in the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite the obvious need, there is presently no coordinated research or funding strategy to support the development of surgical and trauma care in LMICs, as opposed to the strategies that exist for infectious burdens such as HIV, TB and/or malaria.

By Eleleta Surafel Abay, ago
Planet B

There is no planet B

1. Environmental health is a multisectoral problem, which requires coordination and cooperation among the many different sectors in order to improve the lives of millions of people. Although humans have been aware of the crucial relationship between human health and the environment for millennia, there still is a tendency to separate health and environmental issues and deal with them independently. To protect the environment, promote human health, and practice sustainable development, this attitude must be changed. Despite global efforts made in recent decades, air pollution, water contamination, substandard waste management and lack of sanitation services, in addition to negative impacts of climate change, continue to pose environmental public health threats, especially in developing countries.

By Eleleta Surafel Abay, ago

Women in the Frontlines: A Decisive Accelerator of Global Health and other SDGs

Gender is a social construct that often intersects with, but differs greatly from, biological sex. It refers to the socially constructed norms, roles, behaviours, attributes and relations that a given society considers appropriate for women and men. These invariably affect the social and economic responsibilities assigned, activities undertaken, access to Read more…

By Eleleta Surafel Abay, ago
Comprehensive Cleft Care in Low and Middle Income Countries

Comprehensive Cleft Care: The Key to Holistic Cleft Treatment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

In recent years, refinements in surgery, along with a better understanding of psychological, dental, nutritional and vocal needs of children born with cleft lip and/or palate, have greatly improved their quality of life. Comprehensive Cleft Care (CCC) is the integration of essential treatments beyond surgical care in cleft management, inclusive of nutritional counseling, orthodontic and general dental/oral care, speech therapy and psychosocial support. The fundamentals of cleft care are primarily dictated by the needs of patients and their families, as well as the capacity of healthcare facilities. Community based practitioners and primary care units make up the backbone of healthcare systems in LMICs. Therefore, early outreach activities remain the core of treatment goals in such settings.

By Eleleta Surafel Abay, ago