CGS Featured in the Latest Issue of The McGill Square Knot

We are pleased to share that the Centre for Global Surgery has been featured in the latest issue of The Square Knot, the newsletter of McGill University's Department of Surgery.

The article highlights the participation of CGS Co-Directors Dr. Deckelbaum and Dr. Grushka in a Sub-Arctic Winter Field Hospital Readiness Exercise in Chisasibi, Quebec. Conducted in partnership with the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay and the Canadian Red Cross, the initiative focused on strengthening healthcare preparedness and emergency response capacity in remote northern communities.

The feature also reflects the value of global surgery partnerships and the exchange of knowledge between international and northern Canadian contexts to strengthen healthcare systems in challenging environments.

We thank the Department of Surgery for highlighting this important collaboration in the latest issue of The Square Knot.

New Publication Highlight: Student-Led Innovation in Global Surgery Education

We are happy to announce the publication of a new peer-reviewed article in the Jounal of Global Surgery (ONE), titled "Advancing Equity in Global Surgery Education: Lessons from a Student-Led International Hybrid Conference."

This publication evaluates the 13th Annual Global Surgery Conference, an international event organized and spearheaded by McGill medical students working in close collaboration with the Centre for Global Surgery (CGS), the student organizers designed a low-cost, hybrid framework that successfully attracted 158 participants from 23 countries.

Empowering the Next Generation

While CGS co-directors and faculty provided vital institutional mentorship and clinical oversight—including reviewing the conference's innovative disaster-response simulation—the initiative highlights the power of trainee-driven leadership. The study's findings show that this student-led model significantly increased participants' confidence and awareness of equity-oriented strategies in global health.

This paper stands as a proof-of-concept that when institutions support and empower student leaders, scalable and impactful global health education is possible.

A special thank you to community members who supported making this article Open Access!

🔗 Read the Full Open-Access Article here.

CGS Hosts Bulgarian Delegation in Montreal as Part of Bulgaria–Ukraine Emergency Care Initiative

Prof. Nikoleta Traykova, MD, PhD, Vice-Rector for Project Activity at the Medical University of Plovdiv and Head of Radiology at University Hospital “St. George”, and Dr. Kiril Atliev, MD, Head of Emergency Medicine and faculty member at the same hospital and university, visited Montreal from April 15–24, 2026 as part of a collaboration led by the Canadian Red Cross (CRC), the Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC), and the Centre for Global Surgery (CGS) at the RI-MUHC.

The initiative aims to strengthen emergency and trauma care capacity in Bulgaria while supporting health systems responding to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Nearly two million Ukrainian refugees have transited through Bulgaria since the start of the conflict, placing sustained pressure on the national healthcare system. The program focuses on training, institutional partnerships, and knowledge exchange involving providers from both Bulgaria and Ukraine.

During their visit, the delegation participated in advanced trauma training and clinical exchanges at the McGill University Health Centre. Activities included the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course, trauma simulation in the trauma bay, meetings with clinical and academic leadership, a trauma program site visit, and engagement with the Montreal General Hospital Foundation. The delegation also visited Urgences-santé to gain exposure to Montreal’s prehospital emergency care system, and attended the annual scientific meeting of the Trauma Association of Canada in Calgary.

The visit directly supports the next phase of the initiative, to be implemented in May in Bulgaria. This phase includes a Training-of-Trainers program and multidisciplinary trauma courses based on Trauma and Disaster Team Response (TDTR) and Essential Trauma Skills (ETS), both designed by CGS. These programs aim to expand local instructor capacity and strengthen frontline trauma response across hospital and prehospital settings. The training will support physicians, nurses, paramedics, and other responders, enhancing the ability of both Bulgarian and Ukrainian healthcare providers to manage severe trauma and mass-casualty events.

TDTR Webinar | CGS 15th Anniversary

Save the date! 🌍
The TDTR Webinar will bring together country experiences and global perspectives on trauma and disaster response training as part of CGS’s 15th Anniversary and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada-funded TDTR activities.

📅 May 4, 2026 | 7–8 AM (Montreal)
💬 Live Q&A

Learn more & register here.
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WEBINAIRE ITCE | 15e ANNIVERSAIRE DU CCM

Réservez la date ! 🌍
15e anniversaire du CCM 🎉

Le webinaire ITCE réunit des expériences nationales et des perspectives globales sur la formation en traumatologie et la réponse aux catastrophes, dans le cadre du 15e anniversaire du CCM et des activités ITCE financées par le Collège royal des médecins et chirurgiens du Canada.

📅 4 mai 2026 | 7 h – 8 h (Montréal)
💬 Questions en direct

Pour en savoir plus visitez cette page

CGS Project Highlights: Summer–Fall 2025

Following the conclusion of our 2025 year-end initiatives, the Centre for Global Surgery (CGS) is pleased to present an overview of its primary activities from the second half of the year. This update provides an in-depth look at major milestones and projects spanning the Summer and Fall seasons, bridging the transition into the 2026 programming cycle.

This report was originally published in The Square Knot, the newsletter of the McGill University Department of Surgery (Summer/Fall 2025 Issue), whom we thank for their collaboration and coverage of these initiatives.

To view the complete documentation and access all associated resources, please click here for the full digital report (or click the image above).

We encourage our partners and stakeholders to stay tuned to this News tab for further updates as the CGS continues to advance its objectives throughout the 2026 calendar year.

Training First Responders in Pre-hospital Trauma Care in Dakar

To enhance emergency care and trauma management in Senegal, the Centre for Global Surgery (CGS) and Gaston Berger University organized key training sessions in Dakar from October 20 to 22, 2025. Offered in French, these courses focused on the Essential Technical Skills (ETS) of the Trauma and Disaster Team Response (TDTR) program, aiming to improve the response of healthcare professionals and non-medical responders in underserved areas.

A total of 40 participants—including surgeons, doctors, nurses, and especially firefighters, the country's primary first responders—attended the training. An additional group of 7 individuals was trained as instructors to enable the replication of the course. Feedback was highly positive: 86% rated the training as "excellent" and 14% as "good."

The TDTR session dedicated to ETS, attended by 47 participants, concentrated on essential pre-hospital skills: hemorrhage control and tourniquet application, basic airway management, immobilization, and safe patient transfer. These skills were chosen based on local needs, particularly for rural regions where access to care is limited.

Among the participants in the final evaluation, 52% reported achieving mastery of the skills, and 24% noted significant improvement. The most notable progress was observed in: team roles in patient management, transfer criteria, transport safety, tourniquet use, airway management, and spinal immobilization. Furthermore, 90% of participants deemed the practical exercises largely sufficient for acquiring and applying these essential skills.

By combining theory, simulations, and practical workshops, these training sessions significantly strengthened local capacity to respond effectively to emergencies. This initiative, supported by CGS, Gaston Berger University, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, promotes surgical equity and enhances disaster preparedness in Senegal.

In light of the program's success, Senegalese authorities are now considering deploying it nationwide, with the continued support of the CGS.

Strengthening Emergency Care in Bulgaria and Ukraine Through Partnership and Preparedness

In response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, Bulgaria has played a vital role in supporting displaced individuals, with nearly 2 million refugees having transited through the country, around 200,000 granted temporary residence status, and approximately 60,000 still remaining in Bulgaria. To help strengthen the country’s health system, the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) and Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) partnered with the Centre for Global Surgery (CGS) at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. Leveraging its expertise in healthcare training in conflict-affected low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the CGS secured significant funding from the CRC in June 2025. This support enabled a coordinated launch and laid the groundwork for a two-year program focused on improving emergency care capacity in both Bulgaria and Ukraine.

Over the past year, the project has moved from planning to action. Early groundwork included preparatory calls, on-site visits, and collaboration with local institutions such as the Medical University of Plovdiv (MUP) and BRC. This laid the foundation for launching Mobile Health Units and enhancing academic ties in health and disaster response. A comprehensive plan was developed, and crucial partnerships were solidified—guided by a clear needs assessment.

Between spring 2024 and 2025, major strides were made. A certifying body (European Resuscitation Council) was secured, and the first round of Basic Life Support (BLS) training was successfully completed at the Red Cross Lozen Training Facility in Bulgaria on June 16–20, 2025. A total of 118 healthcare providers—both Bulgarian and Ukrainian—were trained, including 16 future instructors.

Additionally, academic engagement deepened with the delivery of a keynote lecture on disaster resilience at the Medical University of Plovdiv, reinforcing the bridge between practical and academic healthcare systems.

Institutional exchanges also enriched the program, with visits between Bulgaria and Canada facilitating cross-border learning in prehospital care and emergency response systems. As part of its mission, the CGS continues to promote equity in surgery by ensuring that access to life-saving skills and systems is not limited by geography, displacement, or economic status—empowering providers from both host and refugee communities to deliver high-quality care.

This collaboration stands as a powerful example of how locally informed, globally supported action can build resilience where it’s needed most. With each step forward, the shared commitment between the CRC, BRC, CGS, and local institutions continues to shape a more responsive, inclusive, and equitable emergency care system for both Bulgarian citizens and Ukrainian refugees.

Driving Change in Global Surgery: Insights from the 13th CGS Annual Conference

On May 3rd, 2025, the 13th Annual Global Surgery Conference brought together 158 participants from 23 countries for a powerful day of learning, reflection, and action. Guided by the Centre for Global Surgery and organized in collaboration with the Canadian Global Surgery Trainees’ Alliance (CGSTA), this student-led event focused on the urgent theme of “Equity in Global Surgery.” More than just an academic gathering, the conference served as a platform to mobilize a global community working toward safe, timely, and accessible surgical care for all.

Keynote speaker Dr. Susan Briggs, a surgeon and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, shared powerful lessons from decades of frontline work in disaster response, emphasizing the importance of ethical, adaptable surgical systems. Dr. Dan Poenaru challenged traditional models of global health, advocating for community-led approaches and the decolonization of care. Other featured talks included Dr. Dan Deckelbaum on surgical resilience in crises and Dr. Emilie Joos on training non-surgeon clinicians in South Sudan through the innovativeVitalSurg program.

The conference also spotlighted groundbreaking trainee-led research from across Canada, Africa, and Asia. Awards were presented to Mathilde Billau -from British Columbia- for her work on trauma care in remote Indigenous communities and to Alex Kihunyu –from Nairobi- for exploring neurosurgical access in low- and middle-income countries. A new hands-on case competition placed participants in a high-stakes disaster scenario in rural Malawi, reinforcing the leadership and ethical challenges of delivering surgical care under extreme pressure.

With 92% of attendees expressing interest in returning, and strong gains reported in global surgery knowledge and confidence, the conference proved both impactful and inspiring. More than just an event, it reaffirmed a collective commitment to building equitable, inclusive systems of surgical care through collaboration, education, and advocacy.

As part of this year’s gathering, the conference was officially dedicated to the memory of Dr. Richard Deckelbaum, a visionary in global health whose lifelong commitment to equity, compassion, and collaboration shaped countless lives. In recognition of his enduring impact, the event will now carry his name moving forward. The Dr. Richard Deckelbaum Global Surgery Conference stands not only as a tribute to his legacy but as a continued call to action. Equity in global surgery is not a distant ideal—it is a responsibility we share. And this year, that call resonated with more clarity and urgency than ever before. For additional information visit our website here.

Narrative by Kacylia Proulx

Three health professionals from the MUHC-MGH recognized!

CGS Co-director Dr. Dan Deckelbaum and Cedric Gibouin -MGH Operating Room Nurse.

CGS Co-director Dr. Dan Deckelbaum and Eric Villeneuve -MGH Pharmacist.

The Centre for Global Surgery (CGS) and the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) acknowledged the significant contributions of pharmacists Madeleine Genest, and Eric Villenueve and operating room nurse Cedric Gibouin, all from MUHC–Montreal General Hospital, who provided valuable input for the development of the Damage Control Surgical Modular Concept for the United Nations Medical Support Section. This section plays a vital role in supporting the overall operations of the United Nations by providing essential healthcare to deployed staff worldwide.

These health professionals’ expertise was essential in shaping a modular approach designed to address both low and high acuity needs in emergency and trauma surgery, as well as mass casualty scenarios. Their contributions are especially relevant for rapid deployment to conflict zones, where flexibility in medical care delivery is critical.

This important work supports the United Nations mission in assisting member states, particularly in high-risk environments.  Madeleine Genest, Eric Villenueve and Cedric Gibouin were formally recognized for their dedication during the 23rd Annual LD MacLean General Surgery Visiting Professor event on May 8, 2025.

CGS and the GSF expressed their gratitude for their commitment and the lasting impact their expertise is expected to have in these challenging settings.

Advancing Trauma Care in Nepal: CGS’s Successful TDTR Training Course

From April 23-25, 2025, in collaboration with Dhulikhel Hospital and Kathmandu University, CGS, co-directed by Drs. Deckelbaum and Grushka, successfully delivered its second Trauma and Disaster Team Response (TDTR) course in Nepal -under the grant from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. This three-day training targeted a diverse group of 32 healthcare professionals—including medical officers, paramedics, nurses, residents and interns—with a gender distribution of 65% male and 35% female.

Participants began the course by completing an online lecture series hosted on the United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SurgHub), laying a solid theoretical foundation. The in-person component emphasized practical skill stations, team-based intraprofessional simulations, and interactive exercises essential for trauma care and disaster response.

Post-course surveys reflected significant improvements in core competencies. For example, 25 out of 27 participants reported either “a lot of improvement” or having “mastered” the skills related to trauma care and disaster response. Similar gains were observed across technical skills such as airway management, chest decompression, and spine immobilization, as well as in understanding team roles, transfer protocols, and the value of trauma registries.

Participant feedback also highlighted the effectiveness of the course’s hybrid structure. All participants “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the balance between online learning, live Q&A, and in-person skill sessions was appropriate (100%), and that the content was relevant to their professional training (100%). Lectures were widely considered accessible and clearly delivered, and 89% felt the instructors were available and responsive. Moreover, participants valued the opportunities to apply learned concepts in practice, and most rated the hands-on components as well-matched to their skill level.

Results from the skills assessment indicated significant improvements among participants. Notably, approximately 93% of respondents reported a lot of improvement or mastery in performing surgical airway techniques. Similarly, spine immobilization skills showed the highest gains, with about 96% of participants indicating substantial improvement or mastery. Splinting skills were also enhanced, with roughly 82% of respondents reporting a lot of improvement or mastery. These figures reflect the course’s effectiveness in advancing practical competencies critical to trauma care and disaster response.

Feedback highlighted strengths including effective instructor engagement, clear explanations, and relevant practical exercises that fostered teamwork. However, participants noted challenges with limited time allocated for hands-on practice and large group sizes. Recommendations included extending skill station duration, conducting exercises in real clinical settings, and adhering to course schedule.

This recent TDTR course, which trained 4 new instructors and 28 new healthcare professionals, further exemplifies CGS’s commitment to strengthening healthcare systems in resource-limited settings—made possible by the generous support of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.