Equity in neurosurgical care is an urgent global priority. Over 5 million people lack access to timely, affordable neurosurgical services, most acutely in low-resource and marginalized settings. Over 23,000 more neurosurgeons are needed in low-and-middle-income countries to address this treatment gap. These disparities are compounded by inadequate infrastructure and equipment, poor information management systems, lack of financial risk protection and ineffective leadership and governance.
This Research Topic examines the roots and consequences of inequity across the global neurosurgical landscape - the clinical and public health practice of neurosurgery. Structured around the WHO (World Health Organization) and NSOAP (National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anesthesia Plan) health system building blocks: governance, workforce, service delivery, data systems, financing, and technology, this collection will feature empirical studies, reviews, and policy perspectives that illuminate disparities, propose interventions, and amplify underrepresented voices in global neurosurgery.
The burden of neurosurgical conditions, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, brain tumors, and congenital anomalies is disproportionately concentrated in LMICs and underserved populations globally. Despite increasing global health attention, access to neurosurgical care remains profoundly inequitable as a result of current resource limitations and neurosurgical workforce deficits.
This Research Topic aims to investigate equity in global neurosurgery as both a systemic challenge and a moral imperative. Drawing on the WHO Health Systems Framework and NSOAP building blocks, it will explore how structural and contextual forces shape disparities in access, quality, financing, training, and research.
Key thematic areas include:
● Leadership and governance: Decolonizing partnerships, inclusion in national surgical planning
● Workforce and training: Distribution, diversity, and task sharing
● Service delivery and infrastructure: Facility readiness, rural access, mobile and tele-neurosurgery
● Information systems and research: Addressing data gaps, research equity, and capacity building
● Technology and equipment access: Imaging, operating tools, donation ethics, local innovation
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Clinical Trial
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Clinical Trial
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion
Original Research
Perspective
Review
Study Protocol
Systematic Review
Keywords: Global neurosurgery, health equity, health financing, health workforce, low- and middle-income countries, neurodisparities, neurosurgical access, NSOAP, research capacity, surgical systems and trauma
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
