Primary health screening by haemoglobinometry in a tropical community

The usefulness of a recently developed portable haemoglobinometer in primary health care was assessed in a survey of anaemia carried out in an isolated Indian community living in the jungles of northern Peru. This haemoglobinometer requires only one drop of blood to be added to a disposable cuvette without predilution; other advantages and limitations of the method are described. A high incidence of anaemia was found in men, women and children. Although intestinal parasite infections, including hookworm, were prevalent, there was no direct relationship with the anaemia. These observations indicated the need for a more extensive epidemiological study to identify the etiological factors. Considering the importance of reliable haemoglobin measurements for providing baseline data, the study demonstrated the value of this portable, simple-to-operate haemoglobinometer for use in geographically remote areas with little or no laboratory facilities. An important advantage was that locally recruited workers were able to measure the haemoglobin easily and correctly after a brief training session.