5 BILLION PEOPLE LACK ACCESS TO SURGERY

The Commission's findings reveal that 5 billion people lack access to essential surgical and anesthesia care when needed, with the worst access in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. To address this gap, an estimated 143 million additional surgical procedures are needed annually in LMICs to save lives and prevent disability. However, only 6% of surgeries occur in the poorest countries, where over a third of the world's population resides.