However, since 'excess' CS occur in countries with, on average, substantially higher costs
(mainly on account of higher average income levels), the combined implications of higher costs
per procedure and a higher number of procedures is that the total cost of 'excess' CS in 2008
was approximately 5.4 times the cost of the 'needed' procedures.
'Excess' CS could thus potentially finance the 'needed' ones over 5 times over; in other words, if
all the resources currently devoted to 'excess' CS could be directed towards countries where
additional procedures are 'needed', the 'needed' procedures could be fully financed and there
would in addition be a surplus of resources with a value of nearly US$ 2 billion.