Dr. Elizabeth Semenya

Elizabeth Semenya is a South African researcher in anaesthesia and perioperative medicine whose work focuses on surgical outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. She is closely associated with large multicentre collaborations such as the African Surgical Outcomes Study, contributing to landmark research on perioperative morbidity and mortality across the continent.

Her publications examine risk stratification, postoperative complications, and health system gaps in adult, obstetric, and paediatric populations. Notable contributions include development of the ASOS Surgical Risk Calculator and influential analyses in leading journals addressing excess postoperative mortality, caesarean outcomes, and the impact of health resource constraints in Africa.

Semenya’s research during the COVID-19 pandemic extended to global surgical systems modelling, informing recovery planning after widespread elective surgery cancellations. Collectively, her work advances evidence-based strategies to improve perioperative safety, strengthen surgical systems, and reduce preventable mortality in resource-limited settings.