Diagnostics in developing countries

Time for an essential diagnostics programme

Diagnostics are big business in developing countries. In Lahore private clinics advertise magnetic resonance imaging on public billboards, diagnostic clinics abound, and ultrasound examination on demand costs $2.50 to $10. In Bangkok there is one computed tomographic scanner for every 62 000 people, and 90% of private hospitals with more than 50 beds own one.1 While some of these changes might be anticipated as government policies shift towards enabling provision of private care,2 there is some evidence that governments themselves are spending public money to expand diagnostic services. For example, one provincial government in Pakistan borrowed $8m to upgrade basic healthcare facilities by providing medical equipment—mainly x ray machines, ultrasound scanners, and microscopes3; in Lesotho plans to upgrade basic health centres included the purchase of x ray facilities and laboratories4; and similar large expenditures are being considered by donors or governments in countries from …