This webinar provides background on the burden of emergency gastrointestinal surgery in resource-constrained settings and its effect on patient outcomes in the areas where the presenters work internationally. The panelists will then discuss potential evidence-based solutions that surgeons can implement to improve surgical access and quality in similar settings worldwide.
Giuseppe Nigri MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS
Professor of Surgery, Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria
Kathryn Chu MD, MPH, FACS, FASCRS
Dr. Kathryn Chu is the inaugural director of the Centre of Global Surgery and a Professor of Global Surgery at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. She received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University and completed her medical degree and general surgery residency at the University of California- San Francisco. She was a Fulbright scholar at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where she received a Master's degree in Public Health and Developing Countries. She has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds several international grants to improve access to quality surgical care in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Chu is a board member of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and the Transformation and Innovation Committee for Médecins Sans Frontières.
Robert Parker MD, MPH, FACS, FCS (ECSA)
Dr. Robert Parker is a General Surgeon and the Director of Research at Tenwek Hospital. As a surgeon, educator, and researcher, he has lived and worked in rural Kenya since 2015, focusing on improving access and quality of surgical care. He works closely with the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA) and the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) to expand research capacity and surgical training. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons International Relations Committee.