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Global Neurosurgery at the 76th World Health Assembly (2023): First Neurosurgery-Driven Resolution Calls for Micronutrient Fortification to Prevent Spina Bifida.

Authors
  • Gomez, Martina Gonzalez1
  • Arynchyna-Smith, Anastasia1
  • Ghotme, Kemel A2
  • Garcia, Roxanna3
  • Johnson, Walter D4
  • Boop, Frederick A5
  • Park, Kee B6
  • Caceres, Adrian7
  • Pardo Vargas, Rosa A8
  • Ayala, Ruben9
  • Ibbotson, Geoffrey10
  • Sheneman, Natalie11
  • Peterson, Daniel B11
  • Öcal, Eylem12
  • Nyalundja, Arsene Daniel13
  • La Fuente, Jesus14
  • Khan, Tariq15
  • Hobart-Porter, Laura16
  • Moser, Richard P17
  • Ahmed, Yakob S18
    • And 7 more
  • 1 Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
  • 2 Translational Neuroscience Research Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia; Department of Neurosurgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, Bogota, Colombia. Electronic address: [email protected]. , (Colombia)
  • 3 Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
  • 4 Department of Surgery and Neurosurgery, Department of Global Health, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA.
  • 5 Department of Neurosurgery, St Jude Global Program, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
  • 6 Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
  • 7 Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's National Hospital, San Jose, Costa Rica. , (Costa Rica)
  • 8 Genetics Section and Neonatology Unit, Hospital Clinico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. , (Chile)
  • 9 Operation Smile Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
  • 10 The Global Surgery Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland. , (Switzerland)
  • 11 Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma and Anaesthesia Care (The G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
  • 12 Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
  • 13 Center for Tropical Diseases and Global Health (CTDGH), Catholic University of Bukavu, South-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo; Research Department, Université Catholique de Bukavu, South-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo; Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaoundé, Cameroon. , (Congo - Kinshasa)
  • 14 Department of Neurosurgery, Sacred Heart Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. , (Spain)
  • 15 Department of Neurosurgery, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar, Pakistan. , (Pakistan)
  • 16 Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
  • 17 Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
  • 18 Reach Another Foundation, Bend, Oregon, USA.
  • 19 Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Ibn Sina, Rabat, Morroco.
  • 20 Department of Neurological Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, Ohio, USA.
  • 21 Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Washington DC, Northwest Washington, USA.
  • 22 Micronutrient Forum, Washington DC, Northwest Washington, USA.
  • 23 Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA; Translational Neuroscience Research Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia; Department of Neurosurgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, Bogota, Colombia. , (Colombia)
Type
Published Article
Journal
World neurosurgery
Publication Date
May 01, 2024
Volume
185
Pages
135–140
Identifiers
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.01.089
PMID: 38266995
Source
Medline
Keywords
Language
English
License
Unknown

Abstract

Since 2018, a neurosurgery delegation has been actively engaged and consistently present at the World Health Assembly. Recognizing the growing impact of neurosurgical diseases, the neurosurgery delegation participated in the 76th World Health Assembly in May 2023, advocating for timely, safe, and affordable global neurosurgical care. The delegation focused on forging new collaborations, strengthening the World Health Organization-World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies official relations, and actively supporting resolutions that impact the neurosurgical patients. However, there is a long advocacy journey ahead to address unmet neurosurgical needs. Patient-centered advocacy is an inherent task of our profession and the essence of the Global Neurosurgery Bogota Declaration of 2016. The highlight of the 76th World Health Assembly was the adoption of the first neurosurgery-driven resolution calling for micronutrient fortification to prevent spina bifida and other micronutrient deficiencies. For the last 4 years, the Global Alliance for Prevention of Spina Bifida, a group spearheaded by neurosurgeons, advocated for spina bifida prevention. This Alliance collaborated with many stakeholders, notably, the Colombian government to promote the resolution: "Accelerating efforts for preventing micronutrient deficiencies and their consequences, including spina bifida and other neural tube defects, through safe and effective food fortification." This is a proud milestone for the neurosurgical profession. There are many strategies available for neurosurgeons, when working together with elected leaders, other stakeholders, and allied professionals, to implement initiatives that can prevent future cases of spina bifida and other neurological disorders and reduce the burden of neurosurgical disease. Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This record was last updated on 07/02/2024 and may not reflect the most current and accurate biomedical/scientific data available from NLM. The corresponding record at NLM can be accessed at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38266995
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