The Burden of Surgical Disease Working Group (BoSD WG) was founded in 2007 to advocate for surgical intervention within global public health, advance knowledge about the large unmet surgical need in low and middle income countries, encourage evaluation of surgery and reporting of outcomes, and expand the literature on this growing global crisis.

Beginning as a grass roots effort of international surgeons, anesthesiologists, public health and metric specialists, economists and humanitarians, our work has grown to include many academic centers and international organizations.  With 200+ members, we continue to expand our vision to include all areas of expertise which impact surgical delivery, evaluation, sustainability, cost effectiveness and global policy.  Members of the BoSD WG met for the first time in 2008 and again in 2009 (see events tab) and the outcome of those meetings has led to multiple publications and collaboration with like minded organizations, institutions, societies and groups equally committed to advancing the surgical agenda.

The focus of the BoSD WG includes:

• Surgical Definitions, Outcomes and Evaluation
• Defining Global Unmet Surgical Need
• The Global Anesthesia Crisis
• Emergency and Essential Surgical care, including Trauma and Emergency Obstetrical Care     
• Effective Surgical Coverage
• Humanitarian Delivery of Surgical Services
• Education and Training of Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia Providers 

To join the Burden of Surgical Disease Working Group please send an email to bosdworkinggroup@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page at Burden of Surgical Disease.   Stay tuned to this website for updates on upcoming events, member contacts and new publications.