Surgical care at rural district hospitals in low and middle-income countries: an essential component of universal health coverage

AUTHORS

Kathryn M Chu¹ FACS, FASCRS, Director of Centre for Global Surgery *

Priyanka Naidu² MBChB, Global Surgery Fellow, Operation Smile

Hans J Hendriks³ MMed (FamMed)

Jennifer Nash⁴ MMed (Fam Med), Specialist Family Physician

Francois J Coetzee⁵ MMed (FamMed), Rural Clinical School MBChB Program Coordinator

Martene Esteves⁶ BCMP (Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice), Clinical Associate

Steve Reid⁷ MFamMed, PhD, Chair of Primary Health Care

Ian Couper⁸ MFamMed, FCFP(SA), Professor and Director

AFFILIATIONS

¹ Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

² Department of Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

³ Zithulele Hospital, Eastern Cape and Department of Family Medicine, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa

⁴ Amathole District Clinical Specialist Team (Eastern Cape Province), Eastern Cape Department of Health, South Africa

^{5, 8} Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

⁶ Colorectal Unit, Wits Donald Gordon Hospital, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa

⁷ Primary Health Care Directorate, University of Cape Town, South Africa