African Collaborative on Surgical Data Equity and System Strengthening: ACCESS Program

Millions of lives are lost to preventable deaths following surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ACCESS program will address the reliance on paper-based health records in LMICs, which limits timely access to vital surgical data for research and quality improvement. Using a scalable mobile health application powered by artificial intelligence, we will digitize surgical records in real-time to enhance care delivery. Through partnerships with Safe Surgery South Africa and cross-disciplinary collaboration, we will advance sustainable, culturally relevant digital health solutions. Our goal is to improve surgical outcomes, reduce health disparities, and facilitate AI innovation in LMIC healthcare systems.