Surgeries Are Becoming Safer in Developing Countries

In developing countries, any type of surgery might not be the safest thing. But, when well-trained doctors, and all of the necessary equipment are handy, then it is a different scenario. A new analysis has reported a mortality rate of 0.2%, which suggests the statement above, of well-trained doctors being used. Between 2001 and 2008, there were 19,643 surgeries performed in 13 developing countries, some of which were Haiti, Pakistan, and Southern Sudan. Out of all these surgeries, 31 deaths resulted. Previous surgeries has put surgery-linked deaths as high as 10% in Africa alone. This disparity was most likely due to te different levels of care and of reporting. Researchers stated, "There is a paucity of data on the safety of surgical problems and resource-limited settings, mostly due to a lack of resources to collect data or a centralized database." The 19, 643 surgeries mentioned above were all completed with at least some professional surgical help in setting equipped with anesthetics, antibiotics, blood banks, clean water, electricity, operating rooms, pain killers, etc. Even though it still resulted in 31 deaths, it much lower than the death rates from before. Researchers then concluded that all of these procedures that were done with the low-death rate demonstrated that surgical care was feasible in such areas were some supplies may be limited. Therefore, doctors are becoming more responsible towards their jobs in these countries.

This relates to science because surgeries, most importantly are all science based. Through research and studies of the human body, surgeries are able to be performed. In addition, the scientific studies of the human body have to be studied carefully, so that when people go into surgery, doctors know exactly what it is that they are going to be doing. In this article, this is what was clearly stated. Doctors need to be expertise and have the supplies necessary. If this is not the case, then the surgeries will in a way, end up unprofessional, and might unfortunately, end up in higher rates of death.

It is important for us people to know this because many of us have loved ones in developing countries. One day, it might be necessary for them to undergo surgery, and it will be a relief to know that in whatever country it is to be performed, they are safe. Since about 5% of all needed operations are done in developing countries, we must care that they are done safely. Since doctors are making sure that what they are doing is highly professional, but most importantly that they are caring about the well-being of the patient, this is why surgeries are now becoming safe in the developing countries, which is a releif for everyone to know.

Source:http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=expertise-and-supplies-shown-to-mak-2010-08-16