Division of the Month: Office of Global Surgery

Dr. Abdullah Saleh, Director, and Marion Mwanganyi, Operations Coordinator

The Office of Global Surgery (OGS) is dedicated to addressing surgical disparities and promoting equitable access to surgical care worldwide. The OGS vision is to become an international leader in the ethical conduct of clinical care, research, international collaborations, and education in the field of global surgery. Through global partnerships, OGS’s mission is to assist in health systems development to improve access to high-quality surgical care for marginalized populations locally and around the world. The mandate of the OGS is to uphold the highest moral integrity and ethical standards in its operation, engagement, research, and contribution towards developmental goals in the communities in which we work.

OGS Director Dr. Abdullah Saleh is a pediatric general surgeon at the University of Alberta. He is the Pediatric Trauma Director at the Stollery Children’s/University of Alberta Hospital and is the Program Director for the Pediatric General Surgery Global Fellowship and the co-Program Director for the Acute Care Global Surgery Fellowship at the University of Alberta. His research interests typically center on building capacity for healthcare systems in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs).

Operations Coordinator Marion Mwanganyi provides support for programs and partnerships under the OGS portfolio. She also contributes to the development of new global surgery initiatives to expand the scope and depth of OGS activities. This may include but is not limited to new research projects, capacity-building programs, training and educational initiatives, and others.

Office of Global Surgery (OGS) Research Hub

Through the OGS Research Hub, we aim to bring together students, residents, medical trainees, faculty members, and healthcare professionals to engage in impactful research initiatives which address complex global healthcare challenges. The OGS Research Hub recognizes the value of facilitating collaboration in research activities harnessing its ability to leverage unique methodologies, expertise, and perspectives. Our goal is to break down silos in existing research activities, helping to bridge any gaps in knowledge or resources among researchers. Participants collaborate on various aspects of the research process including study design, data analysis, and scholarly writing, gaining practical research skills and critical thinking abilities. Additionally, it offers valuable mentorship and networking opportunities.

If you are interested in joining the Research Hub, we would love to hear from you!

Office of Global Surgery Research

Livergant, R. J., Demetrick, S., Cravetchi, X., Kung, J. Y., Joos, E., Hawes, H. G., & Saleh, A. (2021). Trauma Training Courses and Programs in Low- and Lower Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review. World journal of surgery, 45(12), 3543–3557.

Grant, C. L., Tumuhimbise, C., Ninsiima, C., Robinson, T., Eurich, D., Bigam, D., Situma, M., & Saleh, A. (2021). Improved documentation following the implementation of a trauma registry: A means of sustainability for trauma registries in low- and middle-income countries. Injury, 52(9), 2672–2676.

Guilfoyle, R., Morzycki, A. D., & Saleh, A. (2022). What makes global healthcare partnerships successful? A systematic review. Global public health, 17(5), 662–671.

Grant, C. L., Robinson, T., Al Hinai, A., Mack, C., Guilfoyle, R., & Saleh, A. (2020). Ethical considerations in global surgery: a scoping review. BMJ global health, 5(4), e002319.