The University of Birmingham leads drive to improve global surgical outcomes

The University of Birmingham is leading on major health research projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America to help develop surgical research that will have the potential to improve the quality of surgery.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery is launching a number of initiatives to improve care for surgical patients in low-middle income countries.

Presently, the Unit is launching a range of health improvement initiatives including:

• A clinical trial of interventions to prevent surgical wound infection (FALCON);
• A study to measure outcomes from cancer surgery; and
• A study to evaluate access to healthcare for patients requiring surgery.

Launched with partners from Low and Middle Income countries, Universities of Edinburgh and Warwick, – the Unit aims to establish independent and sustainable research ‘hubs’ and/or trial centres in partner countries (Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, Mexico, Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Benin) that will perform their own clinical research relevant to local populations, whilst serving global needs.