Uganda, March 27 -- Surgeons in Uganda have asked the government to expedite establishment of National Health Insurance Scheme, increase the number of surgeons in public service and improve health infrastructure to address gaps in access to surgical services.

The 2017 report of a study conducted in 2,315 households in the country by Tu Tran and colleagues in Uganda, showed that limited access to surgical services was associated with up to "34 percent" of deaths among patients in need of the services.

Dr Moses Galukande, the president-elect of the Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU) who also participated in the above study, said they found that "only two out of ten Ugandans" who need surgical services can "access safe surgery".

"Th...