The Three Delays’ Impact in Uganda: The Disease Burden and Operative Backlog at a New Pediatric Surgery Outpatient Clinic of a Tertiary Center

Purpose: The disparities in pediatric surgical disease burden and the operative backlog in resource-limited settings are not well-studied but have been used to evaluate pediatric capacity-building needs using the Three Delays Model. We evaluated the three delays –in care-seeking, accessing care-facilities, and receiving adequate care– for patients presenting to the Pediatric Surgery Outpatient Clinic (PSOPC) at one of two hospitals with a dedicated pediatric surgery unit in Uganda. Methods: An interviewer-facilitated survey was administered over 21 months to caregivers of children presenting to the …