S3E35 Professor Lydia Cairncross & Professor Wayne Morriss | Political Leverage and Activism

Earth Cast

🎙️In this episode, Bruce speaks to Professors Lydia Cairncross and Wayne Morriss about advocacy for safer surgery and anaesthesia for all. They address the concerns of financing for the health care sector and political leverage - how do we make governments accountable and what strategies should we use to communicate surgical needs to politicians?

🎙️To comment on the book please visit https://asos.org.za/index.php/book.

Lydia Cairncross is Professor of Surgery and Head of Surgery at the University of Cape Town. She is an endocrine and oncology surgeon by background and brings to her surgical work and leadership, a strong equity and public health lens, seeing surgery as part of a continuity of care in the health system. She is also a Steering Committee member of the People’s Health Movement of South Africa – a global network of health activists who campaign at a grassroots and policy level for the right to health for all.

Dr Wayne Morriss is a practising anaesthesiologist and clinical associate professor in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is the current President of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists. He served as Chair of the Education Committee from 2012-2016 and Director of Programmes from 2016-2020. Dr Morriss has lectured in 60+ countries worldwide. He has published articles on a range of global anaesthesia-related topics, including workforce, international standards, patient safety, and pain management education.