Outcomes after surgery for children in Africa (ASOS-Paeds): a 14-day prospective observational cohort study
Outcomes following anaesthesia and surgery for children in Africa are poor, with complication rates up to four-fold higher (18% vs 4·4–14%) and mortality rates 11-fold higher than high-income countries in a crude, unadjusted comparison (23·15 deaths vs 2·18 deaths per 1000 children). To improve surgical outcomes for children in Africa, we need health system strengthening, provision of safe environments for anaesthesia and surgery, and strategies to address the high rate of failure to rescue.