Reaffirming the Role of Global Surgery in Achieving Agenda 2030—How the Innovative Learning Platform, SURGhub can Offer a Pathway to Success

As we see the year 2030 fast approaching, it is evident that many of the ambitious targets of the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will remain unmet. Health-related SDG targets are no exception. Yet, amidst this sobering reality, there is reason to celebrate the SDGs' success in uniting the global community toward shared goals. One of the most notable outcomes of this collective effort is the remarkable progress within the global surgery community, which celebrates the 10th anniversary since the publication of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) and the unanimous adoption of Resolution 68.15 at the 2015 World Health Assembly. Alongside the data from the LCoGS, resolution 68.15 embodied the political commitment toward strengthening emergency and essential surgical care and anesthesia as a component of universal health coverage. The final step needed for success is the implementation of solutions. Over the past 10 years, a compelling body of evidence has solidified the role of surgical care systems as the foundational cornerstone to resilient health systems, particularly in low-resource settings. The solutions available to overcome many challenges that low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face in expanding access to essential surgical care are now well understood. However, the sheer magnitude of scale of what is required to achieve our goals can feel overwhelming. A critical example lies in addressing the surgical workforce shortage. As populations grow rapidly, the demand for skilled healthcare workers escalates at a pace that is hard to fathom. Estimates indicate a need for 808,000 new surgical, obstetric, and anesthesia (SOA) graduates over the next 5 years to meet LCoGS targets [1]. Current training models and graduation rates are insufficient, making it likely that the gap will widen unless new and innovative solutions are implemented. Technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence (AI), telemedicine, remote mentoring, and digital training platforms, offer promising opportunities to build efficiencies in training and education. These tools not only support the training of new healthcare professionals but also provide continuing medical education for those already practicing. Equally important is addressing professional isolation, a significant but often overlooked challenge for healthcare workers in remote and resource-constrained settings. In these harsh environments, the absence of a supportive professional network can lead to burnout and attrition, leaving communities without essential care providers. Breaking down this isolation through collaborative networks, peer mentoring, and virtual support systems can improve both retention and the quality of care in these vulnerable regions. The Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have joined forces to tackle these challenges through an innovative joint initiative. In this issue of the World Journal of Surgery, the United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SURGhub) team presents a novel approach for training surgical care teams worldwide. The SURGhub platform exemplifies the power of partnerships, aligning with SDG 17 by bringing together diverse stakeholders, including UNITAR, GSF, and academic institutions such as the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI). By pooling expertise and resources, this collaborative effort has created a robust platform to deliver high-quality educational content to frontline surgical teams. The platform's early success underscores the pressing need for such tools. A particularly encouraging outcome has been SURGhub's reach into conflict zones, with more than 1200 learners from countries in crisis accessing open courses. This impact metric highlights the platform's potential to alleviate professional isolation and support healthcare workers in the most challenging circumstances. As partners in this initiative, we are inspired by SURGhub's growth and the continued expansion of its content and offerings. We call on all stakeholders committed to improving global surgical care to join this effort. Investing in surgical care systems—particularly in strengthening the surgical workforce—represents one of the best investments in global health. Strategic partnerships, such as those between GSF, UNITAR, RCSI, and other SURGhub collaborators, provide concrete solutions to the challenges of ensuring safe and accessible surgical care in the regions that need it most. By working together, we can turn the lessons of the past decade into concrete progress, making surgical care a cornerstone of global health equity as we advance toward the goals of Agenda 2030. Geoffrey Ibbotson: conceptualization, writing – original draft, writing – review and editing. Nikhil Seth: writing – original draft, writing – review and editing. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.