Global Surgery

Access to surgical care for all who need it.

Surgical care is a critical foundation for a strong health system, contributing to the health and well-being of patients, communities, and populations at all stages of life. Yet globally, an estimated 5 billion people cannot access safe, timely and affordable surgical care should they need it. Surgical conditions cause approximately 17 million deaths each year worldwide and are a major contributor to the global burden of disease. It is estimated that around 2.2 million more surgical and anesthesia providers and around 143 million more surgical procedures annually are needed to meet basic global surgical needs.

Many patients without access to care live in low- and middle-income countries, where surgery has historically been overlooked as a component of health systems strengthening. However, marked inequities in surgical access, quality and outcomes exist within Canada as well, particularly for patients living outside of major cities, those facing social and material deprivation, and those who are Indigenous or belong to a racial or ethnic minority.

Our Mission and Values

As part of our commitment to improving the health of local and global populations the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto supports an active Global Surgery Program. Through this, faculty and trainees from all Divisions participate in clinical, educational and research partnerships, training, capacity building, advocacy and engagement efforts, with a common goal of improving access to safe, timely and affordable surgical care for all who need it, within Canada and internationally.

We aim to:

Partner with communities and local providers to identify and address priorities and needs
Build local surgical capacity as part of sustainable, responsive and resilient health systems
Advance global understanding of surgical need through research, policy and advocacy
Train the next generation of surgeons and healthcare leaders from around the world to deliver excellent and equitable surgical care, for all who need it

Getting involved

We invite you to connect with our featured faculty and trainees, peruse our education opportunities, and stay up to date through our newsletters, publications, and events.

Questions? Email joanna.giddens@utoronto.ca.

Support Our Work

Photo Gallery: Global Surgery Across the Globe

Dr. Andrew Howard (Orthopedics) and Dr. Mercedes Pilkington (General Surgery) with students from the University of Global Health Equity Masters in Global Health Delivery, in Butaro, Rwanda, following the Access to Surgical Care module taught by the University of Toronto.

Dr. Grace Muthoni, Prakash Fellow in Pediatric Neurosurgery (Kenya) and her mentor SickKids Pediatric Neurosurgeon Dr James Rutka.

Speed mentoring session at the Bethune Roundtable, University of Toronto, May 2023.

Dr. Mark Bernstein (Neurosurgery) teaching residents in the OR prior to a neurosurgical case, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Dr Hannah Thomas (Urology resident) during a visit to Zomba Central Hospital, Zomba, Malawi with Zomba Urologist Dr Wanangwa Chisenga (second left) and team.

Dr. Barbara Jemec (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery) with examiners and candidates for the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) examinations, Alert Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Duncan Goche (clinical officer), Dr Rajiv Singal (UofT Urology) and Dr Olivier Heimrath (UofT Urology) operating at Zomba Central Hospital, Zomba, Malawi

Medical student Chilando Mulenga presenting his poster at the Bethune Roundtable in Global Surgery meeting, University of Toronto, May 2023.

Dr. Rick Gardner (Orthopedics)

Dr. Johanna Riesel (Plastics & Reconstructive Surgery, left) with mentees during the Bethune Roundtable on Global Surgery, University of Toronto

Dr. Betty Yibrehu (General Surgery Resident) in the Hepaticopancreaticobiliary Clinic at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ife, Nigeria where she is spending a year as the MSKCC Stern Fellow in Global Oncology Research.