The authors have experience of working and/or teaching in many low- and middle-income countries across sub-Saharan Africa, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific, the Middle -East and S E Asia. Both have published on neurosurgery and the role of neurosurgery within global and public health. Prof Jeffrey V Rosenfeld AC OBE JVR is a neurosurgeon from Melbourne, Professor of Surgery at Monash University and the Alfred Hospital. He has extensive military experience with the Australian Military and has a wide experience of traumatic injuries from bombs and bullets. He has extensive neurosurgery experience of tumours, vascular anomalies, spinal problems, and paediatric neurosurgery including congenital deformities. He has travelled widely teaching and training throughout the SE Asia region as well as making many visits to support the development of neurosurgery in PNG. Professor David A Watters AM OBE DAW is a general surgeon, Professor of Surgery at Deakin University and the University Hospital Geelong, but formerly Professor of Surgery in Papua New Guinea, and a Senior Lecturer at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. Since moving to Australia in 2000 he directed the Royal Australian College of Surgeons' programs in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands, focused on service delivery and capacity building for specialist services.