What is SurgiVoices, and what inspired its creation?
SurgiVoices is a podcast miniseries that gives Rwandan surgical patients a platform to share their personal experiences throughout their surgical care journey. Pierrette Ngutete Mukundwa, a medical doctor and global health leader from Rwanda, developed SurgiVoices as her Capstone Advocacy Project (CAP) for the Global Surgery Advocacy Fellowship.
This fellowship, a joint program by the University of Global Health Equity, Operation Smile, and the Nkafu Policy Institute, empowers leaders from low- and middle-income countries to advocate for accessible, safe, and affordable surgical care in their communities. Through SurgiVoices, she aims to highlight the patient perspective, which is often missing in healthcare policy decisions.
Why is it important to bring patients’ voices into the conversation on surgical care?
Though responsible for 18 million preventable deaths annually—four times the combined deaths from tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria—surgery has historically not received the same priority in global health agendas. It is indeed the ‘neglected stepchild of global health’ as the Late Paul Farmer and Jim Kim referred to it.
This started to change in 2015 with initiatives like the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, which set bold goals to make surgical care safer, more affordable, and accessible to everyone by 2030. Similarly, the Disease Control Priorities Project 3rd Edition highlighted the essential, cost-effective surgeries that could save lives, especially in low-resource countries, and a World Health Assembly resolution (WHA 68.15) urged countries to prioritize surgery in their national health plans. In Rwanda, this inspired the launch of a National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plan in 2018 to build a stronger surgical system and reach more people in need.
While these initiatives are groundbreaking and brought visibility of surgical care to the global health agenda, they were mostly shaped by experts—policymakers, economists, data analysts, NGOs, and surgical professionals— often overlooking a crucial element—the patients’ voices themselves. These individuals are the ones who experience the gaps in care, who navigate the challenges of the healthcare system, and who bear the consequences of its shortcomings. Yet, their insights are rarely included in policy discussions or decision-making processes.
What kind of stories and insights does SurgiVoices capture?
SurgiVoices captures powerful and heartfelt stories from patients who have received surgical care at four healthcare facilities in Rwanda, including two district hospitals—Butaro and Kibagabaga Level 2 Teaching Hospitals—and two tertiary hospitals—the University Teaching Hospital of Butare and King Faisal Hospital. These patients sought care for a diverse range of conditions, including cancers, trauma from accidents, complications arising from difficult labor, and other urgent, life-threatening emergencies.
Through their voices, we dive deep into the barriers and enablers they faced at every stage—from diagnosis to follow-up care. We explore the transformative impact of surgery on their health, their social relationships, their mental health, and even their finances. Alongside these patient stories, SurgiVoices reveals their recommendations and hopes for a better surgical care system in Rwanda.
And, just when you think you’ve heard it all, there’s a surprise twist waiting later in the series—a compelling episode featuring a well-known personality who survived a severe type of cancer after a long and arduous journey through surgery. But you’ll have to tune in to find out more about that one! SurgiVoices isn’t just a podcast; it’s a journey into the heart of surgical care, told through the lived experiences of those who know it best.
How does Surgivoices aim to address gaps in surgical care policy?
The mission of SurgiVoices is to ensure that patient stories do not just reach audiences but also actively shape policies and practices in surgical care. By integrating patient narratives into the decision-making process, SurgiVoices advocates for smarter resource allocation, more efficient care delivery, and ultimately, a truly patient-centered healthcare system. This podcast is more than storytelling—it’s creating a movement to foster a culture where patient experiences are seen as essential data points in healthcare policy.
Where can listeners find SurgiVoices episodes?
SurgiVoices is primarily aired on Afripods, a platform designed for African audiences, and is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This broad distribution helps reach listeners from diverse backgrounds, amplifying Rwandan patient voices and highlighting the importance of patient-centered surgical care. Tune in to all episodes here: https://linktr.ee/surgivoices?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=9c271c7b-788d-42ce-a324-5f5b99a623d6
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