Surgical care at rural district hospitals in low- and middle-income countries: an essential component of universal health coverage

Prof Kathryn Chu

qualifications: FACS, FASCRS

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Director of Centre for Global Surgery

Dr Priyanka Naidu

qualifications: MBChB

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Global Surgery Fellow, Operation Smile

Dr Hans Hendriks

qualifications: MMed (FamMed)

contribution: Acquisition of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

Dr Jennifer Nash

qualifications: MMed (FamMed)

contribution: Acquisition of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Specialist Family Physician

South Africa

I am trained as a Family physician, who worked for 10 years in a remote rural district hospital in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. I am currently the Specialist Family Physician for the Amathole District Clinical Specialist Team, Eastern Cape, South Africa. I am passionate about providing quality medical care to those in a rural environment, as well as seeking to understand the issues that impact these communities (eg poverty, unemployment, etc). I am interested in HIV/AIDs, TB, maternal and child health, teaching of primary health care, and the training of health care providers.

Dr Francois Coetzee

qualifications: MMed (FamMed)

contribution: Acquisition of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Rural Clinical School MBChB Program Coordinator

South Africa

I am a family physician and the program coordinator of the Worcester Rural Clinical School in South Africa. For 12 years I practiced as a rural generalist doctor in a 70 bed hospital and in 2013 I joined the Worcester Rural Clinical School team. In 2017 I took over the coordination of the longitudinal integrated clerkship and the rotation based program at the RCS. I am a bi-lateral amputee and I enjoy hiking, mountain biking and swimming in the sea. I am currently involved with: A research project tracking of the WRCS graduates and documenting their intentions to practice rural or in urban settings.

Ms Martene Esteves

qualifications: BCMP

contribution: Acquisition of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Clinical Associate

Prof Steve Reid

qualifications: MFamMed, PhD

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Chair of Primary Health Care

South Africa

Interested in rural medical education, community-based education, workforce issues, and medical humanities.

Prof Ian Couper

qualifications: MFamMed, FCFP(SA)

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Professor and Director

South Africa

Professor Ian Couper is Director of the Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health and Professor of Rural Health at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. A trained family physician, he spent nine years practising in a remote rural hospital in northern KwaZuluNatal province, and then 16 years working in primary care and health service development in rural North West province. He held the first chair of rural health at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He has chaired both the Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa (RuDASA) and the Wonca Working Party on Rural Practice (WONCA Rural).