“Blitz Surgery”: Redefining Surgical Needs, Training, and Practice in Sub‐Saharan Africa

Although the value of blitz surgery in meeting some of the surgical needs of otherwise neglected communities is undeniable, the author seeks to provoke a sober reexamination of these efforts vis-à-vis the long-term sustainability of such programs, with the objective of harnessing strengths that would see the evolution of a new reconstructive surgical service tailor-made for Africa--affordable and sustainable yet able to deliver quality surgical care to the remotest villages. Otherwise, these humanitarian efforts' will continue to be 'drops in the ocean, meeting the needs of a few in the community but resulting in no long-term gains.