Patients in Africa twice as likely to die after an operation than global average, report shows

Higher mortality rate occurs despite patients usually being younger and fitter and is likely due to lack of medical staff, say scientists

Patients undergoing surgery in Africa are more than twice as likely to die following an operation than the global average, despite generally being younger, healthier and the surgery they are undergoing being more minor, research has revealed.

The study, which covered 25 countries, revealed that just over 18% of in-patients developed complications following surgery, while 1% of elective in-patients died in hospital within 30 days of their operation - twice the global average.