Training needs analysis of surgical teams in Somaliland

Introduction: Prioritizing resources is essential for low-income countries aiming to improve surgical systems effectively. Few validated tools exist to facilitate this. The authors aimed to address this through the novel application of an existing training needs analysis (TNA) tool to a surgical context in a low-income country. Methods: A questionnaire was designed as a mixed-methods, online survey to capture quantitative and qualitative data based on the Hennessy–Hicks training needs analysis (HHTNA) Questionnaire. The survey was distributed by collaborating organizations in Somaliland. Results: Responses were received from 41 anaesthesia providers (APs) and 69 surgical providers (SPs), giving a response rate of approximately 59% of APs, 33% of surgeons, and 21% of obstetricians in Somaliland. The HHTNA of APs highlighted that emergency front of neck access (cricothyroidotomy) was a ‘high intervention priority’ procedure among APs. Regional anaesthesia, medical management of co-morbidities, and anaesthesia in geriatric populations were also considered performance outliers and should also be the focus of further intervention. Importantly, mixed interventions were desired, indicating that training alone would be insufficient, and that improvements to the work situation also need to be addressed. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that conducting a pragmatic TNA of the surgical team in a low-resource setting, such as Somaliland, is both feasible and can generate useful data to guide training and professional development.