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. 2024 Mar 18;13(1):89.
doi: 10.1186/s13643-024-02474-8.

Catalysing global surgery: a meta-research study on factors affecting surgical research collaborations with Africa

Thomas O Kirengo  1   2 , Hussein Dossajee  3   4 , Evans M Onyango  5   4 , Reema H Rachakonda  6   7 , Bailey Schneider  6   7 , Declan P Sela  6   7 , Zahra Hosseinzadeh  6   7 , Zohaib Nadeem  6   7 , Nchafatso G Obonyo  6   7   8   4
Affiliations

Catalysing global surgery: a meta-research study on factors affecting surgical research collaborations with Africa

Thomas O Kirengo et al. Syst Rev. .

Abstract

Introduction: In December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for rapid collaboration, research, and interventions. International research collaborations foster more significant responses to rapid global changes by enabling international, multicentre research, decreasing biases, and increasing study validity while reducing overall research time and costs. However, there has been low uptake of collaborative research by African institutions and individuals.

Aim: To systematically review facilitating factors and challenges to collaborative surgical research studies conducted in Africa.

Methodology: A meta-research review using PubMed®/MEDLINE and Embase on surgical collaboration in Africa from 1st of January 2011 to 31st of September 2021 in accordance to PRISMA guidelines. Surgical studies by collaborative groups involving African authors and sites were included (55 papers). Data on the study period, geographical regions, and research scope, facilitating factors, and challenges were extracted from the studies retrieved from the search.

Results: Most of the collaborations in Africa occurred with European institutions (76%). Of the 54 African countries, 63% (34/54) participated in surgical collaborations. The highest collaboration frequency occurred in South Africa (11%) and Nigeria (8%). However, most publications originated from Eastern Africa (43%). Leveraging synergies between high- and low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), well-defined structures, and secure data platforms facilitated collaboration. However, the underrepresentation of collaborators from LMICs was a significant challenge.

Conclusion: Available literature provides critical insights into the facilitating factors and challenges of research collaboration with Africa. However, there is a need for a detailed prospective study to explore the themes highlighted further.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022352115 .

Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; Collaborations; Research; Surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flow diagram of collaborative surgical research studies in Africa
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
a Continents collaborating with Africa. b Summary of number of continents involved in collaborations with Africa
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Collaborative surgical publications by region in Africa (adapted from Wikipedia: Common Africa Map [82])
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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