Rethinking emergency theatre efficiency in South Africa

Abstract

Safe surgical care plays a critical role in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which aspires to universal health and well-being. Given that operating theatres constitute a major component of hospital costs, optimal theatre utilisation is essential to minimise wasteful expenditure. The increasing burden of surgical disease in low- to middle-income countries is well documented, and with it, the rising imperative for more efficient surgical systems.