There are 5 billion people without access to safe, affordable surgery when needed. There is no Universal Health Coverage without Surgery. Storytelling matters, so we're grateful to the people from our global community who we have been able to document, as they work towards Universal Health Coverage by improving surgery around the world. This series shares their stories, and in doing so, raises awareness. Read our interviews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube at @GUMGlobalSurg.

Professionals, patients and people from all backgrounds complete short film interviews. These include Surgeons, Project Managers, Logisticians, Anaesthetists, Specialists and many more. Some organisations that have been included so far, include Operation Smile, Mercy Ships, and prestigious academic institutions, including UCSF Global Surgery department in San Francisco. The stories and short-films are then shared on Twitter and Facebook on @GUMGlobalSurg in order to raise awareness. Storytelling matters, so we are grateful that people from our global community have generously shared their experiences and insights into the field of Global Surgery. This initiative also invites readers to share their own stories.

Short-films are the most effective way to share content online with the younger generation. As the primary target audience is students, this has shown to be the best method of sharing these stories, as the goal is to encourage students to contribute to the field in some way through raising awareness. With regard to capacity-building and technology transfer, the initiative has set monthly and annual targets which are organised with the intention of growing within the limits of the student-led group at University of Glasgow. The group encourages the transfer of the variety of technological skills and requirements for the variety of roles required to ensure this initiative remains sustainable and inclusive.

Incision, the largest student-led Global Surgery international network provides all key relevant data on Global Surgical indicators, including surgeon, anaesthesiologist and obstetrician workforce data in the specific countries used in interviews. These data are obtained from international data repositories including the World Health Organisation. The infographics are then created by the Editorial Team, submitted to the Science editorial board at Glasgow University Magazine, and then posted on the GUM online platforms. All people interviewed consent to share their stories, and all have experience of either professional work or patient experiences which provide an insight into Universal Health Coverage and the global lack of safe surgery.

Glasgow University Magazine: University of Glasgow's leading student magazine Incision: the International Global Surgery student network