WFSA’s delegation, led by the Pacific Society of Anaesthetists (PSA), delivers Safer Surgery Statement to Member States at 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific.
NSA statement on Agenda item: 14.3 Safer Surgery
The World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA), represents over 500,000 anaesthesiologists in 150 countries, including 24 national member societies in the Western Pacific Region.
WFSA welcomes the region’s focus on safer surgery. Anaesthesiologists are indispensable to safe surgical and obstetric care, patient safety, and resilient health systems. Without safe anaesthesia, there can be no safe surgery.
Yet across this region, major challenges persist. A shortage of trained anaesthesiologists, inadequate access to essential medicines and monitoring technologies, and limited opportunities for ongoing medical education all undermine patient safety. In several countries, the density of anaesthesia professionals remains well below the recommended minimum of 5 per 100,000 population. These gaps jeopardise progress towards universal health coverage and emergency preparedness.
WFSA recommends three priorities for Member States:
- Integrate emergency, critical and operative care into national health plans as a foundation for safer surgery and UHC.
- Strengthen leadership and governance at the facility level by empowering hospital leaders and promoting a culture of safety, accountability, and effective decision-making.
- Invest in the anaesthesia workforce – through training, retention strategies, and expanded access to continuing medical education – alongside provision of essential medicines, monitoring equipment and biomedical support.
WFSA and its member societies stand ready to support Member States in implementing these priorities. By doing so, we can strengthen both the safety of surgery and the resilience of health systems, accelerating progress towards UHC in the Western Pacific Region.
WFSA’s Delegation at the 76th WPRO meeting was Dr Kartik Mudliar (Delegation lead/PSA, AARS board member), Dr Enele Tuima ( PSA Assistant Secretary), Dr Maurice Atalifo ( PSA secretary).
