Sofía Martínez Patino - Pediatric Surgery

 No Child Left Untreated: Why Pediatric Surgery Must Be Prioritized

By: Sofia Martinez Patiño 

Accessible healthcare for children is supposed to be a right rather than a privilege, yet 66% of children around the world lack access for surgical care. Conditions such as Neuroblastoma, cleft lip, pneumonia, and malaria, are just a small amount of the diverse surgical conditions that affect children every year. According to World Pediatrics, low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) deal with consequences such as high mortality rate in children due to the reduced access to surgical care. 

For instance, regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa, have approximately fewer than three pediatric surgeons per million children. Moreover, these countries sometimes don't even have basic anesthesia, proper equipment, and skilled surgeons due to the socioeconomic inequalities, which significantly affect children by causing death or disability. It is crucial to approach this issue for the safety of children globally.

Organizations such as the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery and the World Health Organization (WHO) are working on improving the delivery of surgical care for children in LMIC’s. This issue, although being known and having multiple organizations that aim for better healthcare for minors, remains unprioritized in global health agendas. 

All families around the world should have the security that their children will have access to surgery and treatment especially in life-threatening situations. Pediatric surgery is not a luxury; it's a necessity. Being able to access surgical healthcare will allow children to thrive, grow, and have the health every child deserves. It is time to take action and start making a change not only for global health, but for the future of children everywhere.












Hi! I’m a junior in high school who loves painting and learning about global health. Inspired by my nurse grandma, I’m passionate about pediatric surgery and advocating for healthcare equity.

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