Kids Operating Room

Who we are

Imagine how frustrating it must be to have the knowledge to save a child’s life but not the equipment. This is the frustrating reality for gifted surgeons in many of the places we work. They operate under torchlight, with the ceiling crumbling above, sometimes with broken equipment and only adult-sized instruments.

"We were using our phone lights to carry out some procedures, which made surgery difficult. We now have three state-of-the-art Operating Rooms thanks to KidsOR"

At Kids Operating Rooms we work directly with Ministries of Health, local surgeons and their teams to transform operating rooms, pre-op and post-op rooms in their hospitals into dedicated spaces for children’s surgery. We've installed Operating Rooms in countries in Africa, Asia and Latin-America, creating capacity for children to access the safe surgery they deserve.

Creating child-friendly spaces

Children are at the heart of what we do. The distinct graphic animals you'll see on the walls of our Operating Rooms have become a huge part of who we are. While they look amazing, they actually serve a special purpose: they are designed to offer reassurance and a colourful distraction for children about to undergo surgery. 

 An operation is scary, even for adults. Unlike in high-income countries, many of the children in these hospitals aren't under anaesthesia when they enter the Operating Room. They hear the scary sounds from the machines and see surgeons they don't know in scrubs. These designs ensure that children don't feel as scared or anxious. 

Our culture and values

We believe in a world where every child has equal access to safe surgery

Surgery, and especially paediatric surgery, has historically been forgotten from international financial aid, with many of the big global health players funding almost exclusively infectious diseases, such as polio or HIV. 

The global health crisis will only be solved if funding is redirected away from vertical interventions into creating stronger healthcare systems, from primary care, obstetric, emergency services and, of course, surgery. 

We work with organisations interested in global health to campaign for better access to healthcare for everyone, and more equitable funding models. 

We believe in Surgery For All. We believe in Health for All. And won't stop until that's a reality. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We embrace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in all that we do. We acknowledge our responsibilities under the Equality Act and are committed to strive and to go beyond compliance