Free health care for under 5 year olds increases access to surgical care in Sierra Leone: an analysis of case load and patient characteristics.

Background: In April 2010 Sierra Leone launched a nationwide program that provides free health care to all pregnant and lactating women and children under 5 years old. This study evaluates the effect that the free health-care program had on pediatric surgical activities of Connaught Hospital.

Methods: The study period was defined as the 20 months before and after April 27, 2010, the start date of the free health-care program.

Reductions in inpatient mortality following interventions to improve emergency hospital care in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Background: The demand for high quality hospital care for children in low resource countries is not being met. This paper describes a number of strategies to improve emergency care at a children's hospital and evaluates the impact of these on inpatient mortality. In addition, the cost-effectiveness of improving emergency care is estimated.

Assessment of pediatric surgery capacity at government hospitals in Sierra Leone.

Background: Traditionally, efforts to reduce child mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have focused on infectious diseases. However, surgical care is increasingly seen as an important component of primary health care. To understand the baseline surgical capacity in LMICs, a number of studies have recently been published, but none has focused on pediatric surgery.

Teaching emergency and essential surgical care in Sierra Leone: a model for low income countries.

Background: Surgeons OverSeas (SOS), a New York-based organization with a mission to save lives in developing countries, conducted a surgical needs assessment in Sierra Leone in 2008 which identified a large gap in surgical knowledge. We hypothesized that knowledge transfer could be improved by conducting workshops with significant local faculty participation.

Design: Description of emergency and essential surgical care workshops (EESC) workshops and follow-up.

Quantifying surgical capacity in Sierra Leone: a guide for improving surgical care.

Hypothesis: Lack of access to surgical care is a public health crisis in developing countries. There are few data that describe a nation's ability to provide surgical care. This study combines information quantifying the infrastructure, human resources, interventions (ie, procedures), emergency equipment and supplies for resuscitation, and surgical procedures offered at many government hospitals in Sierra Leone.