Patients undergoing surgery in Africa are more than twice as likely to die following an operation than the global average, researchers say.
But they say the most worrying revelation was just how few Africans have access to elective surgery - surgery that is scheduled in advance.
The number of these operations is 20 times lower than the demand, the study in the Lancet medical journal says.
They call the deficit a "silent killer".
Prof Bruce Biccard, a co-author of the study from the University of Cape Town, told The Guardian the main problem was a lack of medical staff to spot complications after the surgery.
"[The reason] that people do so terribly in Africa from a surgical point of view is that there are just no human resources," he said.
Post-surgery survival rates are lower in Africa than the global average despite patients there being younger and lower risk, the report says.
Patients in Africa also mostly undergo surgery that is "more minor" and have "fewer complications".
It was the largest study of its kind ever undertaken in Africa, conducted by 30 African researchers across 247 hospitals in 25 countries.
Latest Stories
-
NDC will work with queen mothers to fight poverty – Prof Opoku-Agyemang
2 mins -
NPP running mate slot more dignifying than ‘Pragia’ ride to 4th place – NEIP CEO mocks Alan
17 mins -
Black Sherif’s Zaama Disco to make explosive return to Untamed Empire on December 21
20 mins -
Arsenal fan gets 3-year ban and £260 fine for online abuse of Thomas Partey
22 mins -
Your request to recall Parliament is declined – Bagbin to Afenyo-Markin
31 mins -
NDC MPs will not answer parliamentary recall – Mahama insists
35 mins -
Guardiola ‘didn’t intend to make light of self-harm’
41 mins -
Nothing happened after my studio session with Sarkodie – Safo Newman
46 mins -
Ghanaian man sentenced in US for $2m fraud scheme
49 mins -
ECG debunks claims of power plant scaling down
52 mins -
Black Panther star John Kani outlines plans to groom young African film makers
57 mins -
Development Bank Ghana and AGI partner to revitalise Ghana’s textiles and garments industry
1 hour -
Stonebwoy honoured with EMY Africa Man of the Year (Music) award
1 hour -
Global Fashion Week showcases Ghanaian and Australian fashion
1 hour -
South African actor John Kani discloses why African stories are better told by foreigners
1 hour