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Almost everyone will need surgery in their lifetime. However, 5 billion people (out of the 8 billion worldwide) do not have access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when needed. Of all procedures each year, only 6% take place in the world’s poorest countries, where over 1/3 of the population lives. Access is worst in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, where 9/10 do not have access to basic surgical care. Every year, 81 million people will face catastrophic expenditure due to the actual surgery &/or non-medical costs associated with surgery. 

The global surgery movement has been largely led by surgeons, yet engineers play a critical role in shaping how care is delivered. To do this responsibly, we need to learn from local contexts and existing solutions, ensuring our technologies serve all who need them.