In 2015, three reports on global surgery were published. Each had the goal of improving the surgical landscape by outlining changes needed to ensure the provision of, and access to, high-quality, safe, and timely surgery worldwide. These reports by The Lancet,1 The Lancet Oncology,2 and the World Bank3 highlighted stark inequities and the scale of investment and health system strengthening needed to fill a growing void in cancer care. This void is one that many countries were financially unable to fill, and in countries where budget did exist, newer, high-cost innovations were ill-advisably prioritised over more cost-effective interventions.