Laboratory Professionals in Africa : The Backbone of Quality Diagnostics

Laboratories have historically been under supported in developing country health systems resulting in poor quality diagnosis and inadequate disease surveillance. Laboratory professionals are predominantly male with relatively limited female labor participation, with potential gender based barriers to advancement. The focus on communicable diseases has meant that funding for broader public health laboratory services has been relatively neglected. In this paper the authors present a number of strategies to address these problems based on the outcomes from a literature review and case studies conducted in four African countries. Improved registration and human resource planning are required to establish the scale of the problem and to develop country specific strategies to address skills shortages. More high quality pre-service training is needed to supply the service with suitably skilled professional staff to address the current deficit. Innovative in-service training is essential to maintain competence and collaboration is required with the private sector to utilize their expertise. A clear career structure with transparent promotional opportunities is required to recruit and retain staff in the public sector. The establishment of suitable work environments and regulatory and representative bodies will also support recruitment and retention as well as enhance quality. It is also clear that this cadre has been underrepresented in human resources for health research and more activity in this area will lead to greater understanding of the problems and provide more potential solutions.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Schneidman, Miriam, Dacombe, Russell J., Carter, Jane
Format:	Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2014-11
Subjects:	ACCREDITATION, ACCREDITATION BODIES, ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME, AIDS PATIENT, AIDS RELIEF, ANEMIA, AVIAN INFLUENZA, CAREER, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, CHIKUNGUNYA, CLINICAL PRACTICES, CLINICS, COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, COMPETITIVE SALARIES, COST OF TRAINING, COUNSELORS, CURRICULUM, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, DEGREE PROGRAMS, DEGREES, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, DIAGNOSES, DIAGNOSIS, DIAGNOSTICS, DISEASE, DISEASE CONTROL, DISEASE OUTBREAKS, DISEASE SURVEILLANCE, DISEASE TRANSMISSION, DRUG RESISTANCE, EBOLA, ECONOMIC GROWTH, EFFECTIVE USE, EMERGENCY PLAN, EMPLOYMENT, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ENDEMIC DISEASES, EPIDEMIC, EPIDEMICS, EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, EPIDEMIOLOGY, FEMALES, FEVER, FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS, GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION, GOVERNMENT POLICIES, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, HEALTH CENTERS, HEALTH FACILITIES, HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, HEALTH MINISTRIES, HEALTH OUTCOMES, HEALTH POLICY, HEALTH REGULATIONS, HEALTH RESEARCH, HEALTH SECTOR, HEALTH SYSTEM, HEALTH SYSTEMS, HEALTH WORKERS, HEALTH WORKFORCE, HEMATOLOGY, HIGHER EDUCATION, HIGHER LEARNING, HIV, HIV TESTING, HIV/AIDS, HOSPITAL, HOSPITALS, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING, HUMAN RESOURCES, HYGIENE, ILLNESSES, IMMUNE DEFICIENCY, IMMUNOLOGY, INFECTION, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, INFLUENZA, INFORMANT, INFORMANTS, JOB SATISFACTION, LAB, LABOR FORCE, LABOR MARKET, LABORATORIES, LABORATORY, LABORATORY FACILITIES, LABORATORY SERVICES, LABORATORY WORKERS, LEARNING, LEARNING OUTCOMES, LITERATURE, LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES, LUNG DISEASES, MALARIA, MALARIA DIAGNOSIS, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, MEDICAL LABORATORIES, MEDICAL RESEARCH, MIDWIVES, MIGRATION, MINISTERS OF HEALTH, MINISTRIES OF HEALTH, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, MINORITY, NATIONAL ACCREDITATION, NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEMS, NATIONAL LABORATORY, NATIONAL LEVEL, NATIONAL STRATEGIES, NEEDS ASSESSMENT, NUMBER OF WORKERS, NURSE, NURSES, NUTRITION, ON THE JOB TRAINING, PAPERS, PATHOLOGY, PATIENT, PATIENTS, PHARMACISTS, PHARMACY, PHYSICIANS, PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, POLICY DECISIONS, POLICY DISCUSSIONS, POLICY LEVEL, PRACTITIONERS, PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, PRIVATE SECTOR TRAINING, PRIVATE TRAINING, PRIVATE TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, PROGRESS, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC POLICY, PUSH FACTORS, QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS, QUALITY ASSURANCE, QUALITY CONTROL, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, QUALITY OF SERVICES, REAGENTS, REGIONAL NETWORKS, RESEARCH INSTITUTE, RESPECT, RISK OF EXPOSURE, RURAL AREAS, SCHOOLS, SCIENTIST, SCIENTISTS, SECONDARY SCHOOL, SERVICE DELIVERY, SERVICE PROVIDERS, SERVICE PROVISION, SKILLED HUMAN RESOURCES, SKILLED PERSONNEL, SKILLED STAFF, SMALLER NUMBER, SOCIAL WELFARE, SPILLOVER, STDS, STRENGTHENING HUMAN RESOURCES, STUDENT INTAKE, SYPHILIS, TB, TEACHING, TEACHING MATERIALS, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, THREATS, TRAINING FACILITIES, TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING PROGRAMS, TREATMENT, TROPICAL MEDICINE, TUBERCULOSIS, URBAN AREAS, VICIOUS CYCLE, VIRUS, WEIGHT LOSS, WORK ENVIRONMENT, WORK FORCE, WORKERS, WORKFORCE, WORKING CONDITIONS, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/11/20432412/laboratory-professionals-africa-backbone-quality-diagnostics http://hdl.handle.net/10986/21115
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