The Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS) is a Canadian nonprofit organization dedicated to improving surgical care and maternal health in low-income countries. Established in 1995, CNIS focuses on reducing death and disability caused by surgical disorders through education, capacity building, and safety initiatives in underserved regions.

History and Structure

CNIS was federally incorporated in August 1995 and operates as a registered charity and non-governmental organization based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is governed by a board of directors representing diverse regions of Canada and has a nationwide membership including physicians, surgeons, and allied health professionals committed to global surgical development. The organization also maintains satellite offices in Africa to support its international programs.

Mission and Vision

CNIS’s mission is to improve maternal health, increase surgical safety, and build local healthcare capacity in low-income countries, with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and selected Caribbean nations. The vision is to empower these countries to reduce injury risks and ensure all people receive adequate healthcare by sharing knowledge, expertise, and experience to create sustainable health improvements.

Programs and Activities

CNIS implements a range of programs tailored to local needs, including:

• Essential Surgical Skills (ESS) Program: This course trains general practitioners in essential surgical procedures, addressing the shortage of surgeons by enabling non-surgeons to provide critical surgical care safely.
• Injury Control Program: Focused on injury prevention as a vital surgical strategy, this program addresses the high incidence of injuries in African countries.
• Surgical Library Project: CNIS supplies surgical textbooks and journals to partner institutions in Africa to support research and education.
• Member Projects: CNIS encourages members to develop and implement creative initiatives aligned with the organization’s objectives.

CNIS has conducted training in countries such as Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Guyana, and Haiti, successfully educating over 50,000 healthcare professionals in life-saving clinical skills and training instructors within their own countries to sustain local capacity. The organization also promotes non-violent conflict resolution education among schoolchildren in these regions.

Impact and Support

Over its 25 years of operation, CNIS has partnered with donors including governmental agencies and private foundations to expand its reach and effectiveness. Its programs have raised standards in critical thinking, patient management, and technical surgical skills in some of the world's most underserved communities, continuously adapting to meet growing healthcare needs.

Summary

The Canadian Network for International Surgery is a leading Canadian charity contributing significantly to global surgical education and healthcare improvement. Through training programs, injury prevention, and resource sharing, CNIS works to reduce mortality and disability related to surgical conditions in low-resource settings, fostering long-term health system resilience and equity.

Business Registration Number: 898961552RR0001

[1] https://cnis.ca [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Network_for_International_Surgery [3] https://cnis.ca/about-us/ [4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3695146/ [5] https://causes.benevity.org/causes/124-898961552RR0001