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Open research questions in Global Health and Surgery

115 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 688 Global Health and Surgery papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The lack of investment in decision architecture in drug development. The concentration of decision quality in a small number of experienced individuals. The need for a more equitable and democratized approach to decision-making in global health.

    The Governance Gap: Democratizing Drug Development Through Decision Architecture · 2026 · DOI

  • The study faces the challenge of establishing a shared foundation for the concept of capacity strengthening. The study must navigate the complexity of relational dynamics in global institutional partnerships. The study must address the methodological gaps in capacity research.

    Exploring Relational Dynamics in Global Institutional Partnerships: A Protocol for a Multi-Method Qualitative Study of Capacity Strengthening · 2026 · DOI

  • The concept of capacity strengthening lacks a shared foundation. The evidence base underpinning capacity strengthening efforts remains weak. There is a need for a stronger foundational understanding of how and why capacity strengthening works.

    Exploring Relational Dynamics in Global Institutional Partnerships: A Protocol for a Multi-Method Qualitative Study of Capacity Strengthening · 2026 · DOI

  • Geopolitical tensions and financing constraints for global health are increasingly testing the dynamics between states and GHOs. The exclusion of civil society and non-government organisations from the reform process is a challenge. The paper highlights the need to navigate the complex interests and agendas of GHOs in the reform process.

    Who is really shaping global health reform? · 2026 · DOI

  • The current reform agenda has been ambiguous, with little specification on which global health organisations should undergo change. There is a lack of consideration of the internal dynamics and organisational behaviours of GHOs in shaping global health reform.

    Who is really shaping global health reform? · 2026 · DOI

  • Domestic financing commitments made by many African governments frequently went unmet - Many African countries are trying to protect health spending while contending with high debt service, narrow tax bases, expensive borrowing, and limited fiscal space

    From Accra to America: Putting development first in global health · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the impact of development-first strategies on national health systems - Examining the role of multilateral institutions in extending American influence

    From Accra to America: Putting development first in global health · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies the challenge of understanding the complex and dynamic role of philanthropic foundations in global health governance. It highlights the need to navigate the tension between the enabling and constraining effects of philanthropic influence. The study also notes the challenge of ensuring legitimacy and accountability in global health governance, given the concentration of agenda-setting power in the hands of private, unelected actors.

    Private capital in a public field: a qualitative study of philanthropic influence in Germany’s global health governance · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding about the role of international philanthropic foundations in high-income donor countries, such as Germany. The study addresses this gap by exploring the perceived impact of philanthropic foundations on Germany's global health engagement. The research gap includes the need to understand the implications for global health governance.

    Private capital in a public field: a qualitative study of philanthropic influence in Germany’s global health governance · 2026 · DOI

  • Little is known about the learning outcomes of an OCIP and how this complements their medical education back home.

    Medical students’ experience and learning outcomes of overseas community involvement project: a qualitative study · 2024 · DOI

  • Health workforce shortages. Gaps in essential infrastructure. Shortages of test kits for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.

    The perceived impacts of United States foreign development assistance reductions on health system building blocks at healthcare facilities in Zambia: A mixed-methods study · 2026 · DOI

  • The potential impacts of reductions in foreign development assistance on health system building blocks in low- and middle-income countries are not well understood. There is a need for studies that assess the effects of the reductions on healthcare facilities.

    The perceived impacts of United States foreign development assistance reductions on health system building blocks at healthcare facilities in Zambia: A mixed-methods study · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to explore the use of AI in research capacity strengthening. Research is needed to develop sustainable funding models and ethical frameworks for collaborative engagements in generating global health knowledge. Studies should investigate the impact of AI on research productivity and knowledge management in low- and middle-income countries.

    Artificial intelligence for research capacity strengthening: Two reviews and a pathway to shift power in global health · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. The dominance of Northern institutions in defining research priorities. The need to address power imbalances rooted in colonial legacies.

    Artificial intelligence for research capacity strengthening: Two reviews and a pathway to shift power in global health · 2026 · DOI

  • A more detailed examination of the barriers influencing the distribution of DA anaesthetists. An investigation into the reasons why diplomates choose to practice in urban or rural areas.

    The profile of the Diploma in Anaesthesia in South Africa · 2026 · DOI

  • The shortage of anaesthetists in South Africa, particularly in rural areas. The need for ongoing evaluation of the DA curriculum and its alignment with current workforce demands.

    The profile of the Diploma in Anaesthesia in South Africa · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of standardization and ethical ambiguity in post-deployment asset management. The exclusion of local partners from critical discussions about the handover of medical infrastructure. The challenge of developing sustainable and ethical practices in humanitarian medical interventions.

    Managing medical assets post-deployment: a critical review of equipment leave-behind and retrieval in international EMT operations · 2026 · DOI

  • The study acknowledges potential geographic bias and publication bias. The search was limited to English-language sources. The study did not conduct a formal methodological quality appraisal of included sources.

    Managing medical assets post-deployment: a critical review of equipment leave-behind and retrieval in international EMT operations · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research can focus on the development of internet infrastructure, open-access academic publishing, and digital communication tools. The study's findings can inform strategies for improving international medical collaborations.

    Exploration of Ways to Improve Medical International Educational Exchange Ability: A Bibliometric Study · 2026 · DOI

  • There are few articles about how to improve medical international educational exchange ability. The COVID-19 pandemic has formed some obstacles to the international educational exchange of offline medical research.

    Exploration of Ways to Improve Medical International Educational Exchange Ability: A Bibliometric Study · 2026 · DOI

  • Patients approach surgical treatment with fear, anxiety, and sometimes depression due to lack of knowledge about the procedure. There is a need for effective pre-operative preparation to reduce patient anxiety and improve recovery outcomes.

    Outcome of Perioperative Pre-Visit on Surgical Patients in University of Port- Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a gap in understanding the specific impact of pre-visit interventions on the experiences and outcomes of surgical patients. The study aims to fill this gap by examining the impact of peri-operative pre-visits on surgical patients.

    Outcome of Perioperative Pre-Visit on Surgical Patients in University of Port- Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies challenges in low-and middle-income countries, including limited resources, high case volumes, and language barriers. It notes the constraints on research output, including limited funding, conference travel, and research funding. The paper highlights the need for institutional support, collaborative research networks, and structured data collection systems to improve research output.

    Counting papers or counting patients? Reframing surgical excellence in low-and middle-income countries · 2026 · DOI

  • Language barriers and lack of editorial support may affect publication rates. Limited resources, such as publication fees, conference travel, and research funding, are often limited in low-and middle-income country institutions.

    Counting papers or counting patients? Reframing surgical excellence in low-and middle-income countries · 2026 · DOI

  • The intersection of disability, biopolitics, and international relations remains under researched. There is a lack of understanding of the impact of international humanitarian aid on states and amputees. The study fills a gap in the literature by investigating the geopolitics of prosthetic care in post-conflict and ongoing crisis zones.

    Phantom Sovereignty: Medical Imperialism and the Geopolitics Behind Prosthetics · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Global Health and Surgery

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115 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 688 Global Health and Surgery papers in our 4.5M-paper local library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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