[Comment] The pathway for surgery as an integral part of attaining universal health coverage

Surgery and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have both been called the neglected stepchildren of global health. Both fields receive disproportionately low attention, prioritisation, and funding despite the burden of disease and their importance to the attainment of multiple health-related targets described in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). NCDs are responsible for 74% of all deaths globally and surgery is involved in managing nearly a third of the global burden of disease.1 However, most people in low-income and middle-income countries do not have access to safe, affordable, and timely surgery.