Abstract / Summary
Introduction Current knowledge on the landscape of neurosurgery research in Africa is limited, with major deficiencies in understanding obstacles and opportunities for African neurosurgeons. This paper explores the landscape and challenges of neurosurgery research in Africa, and highlights opportunities to strengthen the research ecosystem. Methods This is a critical scientometric analysis with an in-depth appraisal and synthesis of the landscape and challenges of neurosurgery research in Africa. Results There is a paucity of laboratory studies in Africa. Clinical research is prevalent but qualitative articles are few (1.9%). In Africa, most publications are quantitative predominantly primary studies (78.4-90.6 %) which are mostly observational. Multicenter and collaborative research are limited. African neurosurgeons publish 90% articles, two-thirds in African-based journals:-none indexed in PubMed. Neuro-oncology, spinal surgery, cerebrovascular and trauma accounted for two-thirds of the papers. Global neurosurgery papers are rising, most on service delivery. There are significant disparities in research output with Sub-Saharan Africa showing exponential growth. English-speaking African countries show a higher productivity. Average citations per article are low. Key research challenges include limited resources, insufficient funding, a shortage of qualified researchers and underrepresentation in editorial boards. There is a 15-fold increase in research productivity over the past two decades, driven by factors like, increased residency programs and capacity-building efforts. Conclusion Neurosurgical research in Africa faces numerous challenges, limiting African voices from contributing to the global neurosurgical discourse. Through targeted system-level investments, Africa’s neurosurgical research ecosystem can be strengthened. This will improve patient care and diversifies global neurosurgical evidence.