Delayed access to essential surgical care in Uganda: A tertiary multi-center study

Background: Surgery has been largely neglected within global public health despite growing evidence that the overall burden of disease requiring surgical intervention is rapidly growing and affordable access to surgical care can avert many deaths and disabilities. This study assessed the factors influencing delayed access to essential surgical care in Uganda. Methods: A descriptive multi-center cross-sectional survey was carried out in three hospitals designated for major surgeries in Uganda from December 2019 to December 2021 across three regions of the country in a prospective manner. Patients admitted to the hospitals that required surgical intervention were included. Bivariate analysis using the chi-square test or Fischers' exact test and multivariable logistic regression models to adjust for confounders were carried out. Interpretation: All three factors contribute to surgical delay but most significantly access to hospital. Several socioeconomic factors like education, long distances, and poverty interplay in a complex web to hamper access to essential surgical care.