The development of rural laboratory services in Papua New Guinea

The health service of Papua New Guinea is targeted at village level primary health care, through aid posts and health centres. There is an increasing demand for providing these facilities with basic diagnostic laboratory services at the health centre level. To accomplish this, an inservice training program has been established to train existing health workers in specific laboratory skills. A management support scheme has also been instigated to ensure that the most effective use is made of these laboratory-trained staff. This has created a team of rural laboratory workers to support the clinical management of patients in rural locations throughout Papua New Guinea.