NEW YORK, June 25: A WHO study conducted in one-fourth of the 192 member states revealed that over 234 million surgical procedures are undertaken world wide each year. But the rate of surgeries is higher in affluent nations than poor developing countries. Of the total 72 per cent surgeries are conducted in rich nations, belying the notion that people in the rich nations are healthier than the people in the poor countries.
What is surprising is the fact that the number of surgeries is double the number of births. The WHO has come out with guidelines aimed at reducing the number of fatalities. The guidelines can improve anesthetic safety practices, avoid infections and improve communication among members of asurgical team.
The WHO recommendations include ' call for making the correct site for surgery to avoid operating on wrong patients, performing wrong procedures, giving anti-biotic within 60 minutes of making an incision to reduce infection, checking for allergies, inserting two intravenous lines for operations involving substantial loss of blood and counting sponges and needles to make sure that none are left in a patient.'
Rate of surgeries higher in affluent nations
From Fazle Rashid | Published: June 26, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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