The Global Surgery 2030 agenda, and the Essential Surgery: Disease Control Priorities, third edition (DCP3) recommendations have opened the door for improving access to basic surgery and safe anesthesia, and the World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution # 68 and National Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia Plans (NSOAPS) have catalyzed scale up to address the large unmet surgical needs in LMICs. 

The aim of our initiative is to improve vital and life-saving surgical and anaesthesiological care in the countries of the former Soviet Union. Drawing on the principles and goals of the 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, we aim to close gaps in access to surgical care, promote equitable healthcare and strengthen national healthcare systems through targeted strategies designed to each country’s unique circumstances. By fostering collaboration, improving medical education and optimising resources, we aim to ensure that all people in the region receive timely, safe and affordable surgical and anaesthesiological services by 2030.