More than 47% of surgical patients endure postoperative discomfort worldwide, with inadequate management in Africa driven by resource scarcity, knowledge gaps, and lack of medications.
Inadequate postoperative pain management in Africa is driven by multiple systemic and educational factors, requiring targeted solutions to improve patient outcomes.
Postoperative pain is one of the most prevalent complications following surgery, and more than 47% of surgical patients endure postoperative discomfort worldwide. In Africa, due to resource shortages and other issues, postoperative pain is substantially more common when compared to developed countries. Severe postoperative pain has many negative effects, including possibly death, which can burden both individuals and society as a whole. Therefore, effectively controlling postoperative pain is becoming increasingly important. To enhance the effectiveness of future pain management, a thorough analysis of the current reasons for inadequate postoperative pain management is necessary. In this article, the present situations of occurring postoperative pain, children's postoperative pain, and pain management in Africa are reviewed, based on relevant and recent literature. In particular, the reasons for inadequate postoperative pain management in Africa are detailed in this article from five perspectives: the inadequate assessment of postoperative pain, the knowledge gap among medical professionals, the patients' misconceptions, the scarcity of resources, and the lack of medications. Additionally, we offer appropriate solutions following various factors.
Gao et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Postoperative pain. Pain management was evaluated. More than 47% of surgical patients endure postoperative discomfort worldwide, with inadequate management in Africa driven by resource scarcity, knowledge gaps, and lack of medications.