Collaboration with Stellenbosch University

3 September 2020, Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) and Stellenbosch University, acting through its Centre for Global Surgery (CGS,) have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

CGS lies within the Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Today, there are 5 billion people who do not have access to surgical care, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa is one region where surgical capacity building is the need of the hour to save lives. In this context, CGS envisions a world with equitable access to quality surgical care for all and bringing further awareness to vulnerable regions where surgical capacity and delivery are most needed. UNITAR is pleased to contribute to this mission.

UNITAR and CGS, through this MoU, have committed to build capacities in global surgery and, national surgical, obstetrical and anesthesia planning, universal health coverage, non-technical skills for surgical staff, sustainable development in global surgery, training future global surgery leaders, and generating high quality research to improve global surgical systems. The MoU also foresees co-hosting of conferences, workshops, and training and capacity-building programmes.

UNITAR is glad to work with CGS towards the mission of ensuring equitable access to people across the globe to quality surgical care and achieving targeted goals from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.