The World Population is currently 8.2 Billion People

1. 2 Billion people – almost a 1/3 of the world’s population, have no access whatsoever to any surgical care

2. A further 3 Billion people cannot access safe, timely, affordable surgical care when needed. (almost all of us reading this fall in the remaining 2 Billion privileged group – through birth)

3. 250 million operations are done per year worldwide; of these, only 3.5% are done in the lower income countries which makes out a 1/3 of the world population

4. 5-6 million people die each year from injuries – 90% of these deaths in the low income countries. Basic safe surgeries can prevent the majority of these deaths. (AIDS, TB and Malaria together kill 3.8 million people per year.)

The need worldwide is overwhelming but in the words of Dr Gary Parker, maxillo facial surgeon on the ship; ‘You can’t change the whole world but you can change the whole world for one person …. and another …. and another.

Together we can change the world