Pediatric stoma in Zambia: Current ethical challenges and advancement of public policy.

Abstract

Pediatric ostomy creation is becoming increasingly prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The procedure is associated with both physical and ethical challenges for patients, their families, and medical providers. Counseling parents of children in need of ostomy creation must address each of their trepidations while seeking to promote the ethical tenets of beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, quality of life, and justice. As pediatric surgical care in SSA continues to progress, efforts to ameliorate challenges to providing holistic patient-centric care must also progress. This manuscript outlines ethical dilemmas associated with pediatric ostomy care in SSA and lists efforts and initiatives seeking to address them.