Surgical health policy 2025–35: strengthening essential services for tomorrow's needs

Abstract

Progress towards The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery's 2030 targets has been too slow and too patchy, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. The unmet need for surgery has continued to grow, reaching at least 160 million operations per year. Ensuring high-quality surgical care remains a crucial global challenge, with 3·5 million adults dying after surgery each year. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of surgical services long undermined by chronic underfunding, workforce shortages, and under-resourced infrastructure. However, The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery inspired a new generation of surgeons to engage with policy, and several countries have developed national surgical plans, although most remain unfunded. Advancements in surgical data science have allowed health systems to identify priorities for improvement. Preserving this infrastructure is important, especially during periods of uncertain global health funding. The next decade requires urgent change to prevent economic instability and armed conflict from forcing surgery down the global health agenda. Reframing surgery as an essential service that saves lives, strengthens health systems, and fosters economic productivity could unlock much needed investment. Sustained progress requires integration of funding both within hospital infrastructure and across care pathways. Such holistic approaches would reinforce entire hospital systems, which are essential to national security and wellbeing.