GLOBAL CARDIAC SURGERY

With 17.5 million deaths worldwide every year, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the world, with 80% occurring in low- and middle-income countries.(1) CVD, as many other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), has become an increasingly important global/public health priority, yet nearly 6 billion people worldwide remain without access to safe cardiac surgical care when needed. Public health interventions have included control and prevention through lifestyle changes, yet these measures have had only limited effect on cases with significant conditions and in reducing mortality due to the need for dramatic changes in the daily habits of large populations and cultures.(2)... Despite said global situation, disparities in accessing global cardiac surgical care remain widespread. In sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, there are only 1 cardiac center per 38 million and 25 million people, respectively.(3) In contrast, Europe and North America have 1 per 120,000 population,..