Rapid Low-Cost Microfluidic Detection in Point of Care Diagnostics

Clinical diagnostics is a challenge in resource poor areas. Accessibility to diagnostic laboratories is severely curtailed in areas where resources and infrastructure are limited. There is a need to develop low cost and portable devices to promote healthcare services in such places. The development of low cost paper-based microfluidic devices (μPADS) and thread-based devices have the potential to revolutionize point of care diagnostics in poverty-ridden areas. In this report, we describe how frugal technologies can be used for the detection of biological fluids, and the need for developing low cost wireless and wearable technologies to be deployed in resource poor settings.