Day Case Surgery: The Way Forward for Elective Surgery in Developing Countries

Abstract

The established principle of ambulating surgical patients as early as possible lies behind the concept of day case surgery currently being practised worldwide. There is a lag in day surgery practise between the developed and the developing world. In the last decades, freestanding and autonomous day surgery units have been established in the developed world however the developing world still tends to practise hospital based day case surgery. This article reviews the evolution, organization and infrastructure for day case surgery and evaluates this practise in developing countries. There is increasing need to develop the potential and relevance of day case surgery in developing countries which may result in substantial economic benefits. The health sectors in developing countries are coping with scarce resources and therefore day case surgery is an economically better option providing more advantages to patients as well as stakeholders. Surgical societies in developing countries should work closely with the Associations of Surgery in developed countries to establish infrastructure and guidelines to promote day case surgery in developing countries in East Africa.