Health Laboratory Services in support of Primary Health Care in South-East Asia

About the Book

WHO priorities in the 1990s have been to improve and promote essential health technology applicable at the primary health care level and the immediate supporting level of the health system, to accelerate the process for Health for All by the Year 2000.

Proper surveillance with a sound and efficient network of laboratories is essential to meet the preventive, promotive, diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative components of health care. At present, laboratory support at the primary health care level is not fully developed in most developing countries.

Appropriate guidelines have been given for the structure, management functions and scope of activities of health laboratories in countries in Part I of the book.

The impact of simple diagnostic technology will be felt in early diagnosis and therapeutic and control interventions of common diseases, reduction of disease burden and promotion of health in the communities. This aspect is discussed in Part II of the book.

The importance of introducing, managing and sustaining quality assurance in the countries has been emphasized in Part III. The principles and management of quality assurance programmes have been presented in detail for clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, haematology and blood banks.

The phenomenal rise in the incidence of AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis and other emerging infectious poses increased risk for laoratory workers handling the clinical specimens. To safeguard the laboratory personnel, the chapter on ‘biosafety in the laboratories’ has been revised and updated and included as chapter IV.