Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Barriers to essential surgical care experienced by women in the two northernmost regions 
of Ghana: A cross -sectional survey  
 
 
Version: 0 Date: 10 Dec 2015  
 
 
Reviewer: Andrew  Hill 
 
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Thank yo u for the opportunity to review this manuscript. I have some comments:  
 
 
1. This is a nice study and is well written and interesting. It is certainly of importance.  
 
 
2. The differences that you have noted are much smaller than I suspect you thought you would 
get and you have made much of them. I think that you need to distinguish between statistical 
differences and real -life relevant differences. You have failed to do this. From your data you 
have statistical significance which you have then used to make recommendations. I am afraid 
that this does not follow from the data presented as the differences are very small and may be 
explained by the selection bias you describe . 
 
 
3. You need to mention this in your limitations section and you need to change your 
recommendations. They are far too strong for the data that you have presented. They make sense 
and sound reasonable they are not supported by your study.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specif y what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects requ ire further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interest s, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from 
an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the fut ure? 
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the cont ent of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you hav e any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no compet ing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
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CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand t hat any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal