Pediatric stoma in Zambia: Current ethical challenges and advancement of public policy

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric ostomy creation is becoming increasingly prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The procedure is associated with both physical and ethical challenges for patients, their families, and medical providers. ETHICAL DISCUSSION: Counseling parents of children in need of ostomy creation must address each of their trepidations while seeking to promote the ethical tenets of beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, quality of life, and justice. CONCLUSION: As pediatric surgical care in SSA continues to progress, efforts to ameliorate challenges to providing holistic patient-centric care must also progress. This manuscript outlines ethical dilemmas associated with pediatric ostomy care in SSA and lists efforts and initiatives seeking to address them.