Status and future of clinical pathology in Nepal

Clinical Pathology (CP) in Nepal is still in primitive stage. All most all CP tests are done manually. In many health institutions, even a basic CP test facilities are not available leading to an empirical treatment. Even the so-called big medical centers are lacking many important CP test facilities forcing the patients (those who can afford) to proceed to foreign countries for investigation and treatment of their health problem. With regard to the training of man power in the field of CP, Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine began an academic training course called Proficiency Certificate Level in Health Laboratory Technology (PCL Health Lab.) in 1972. Presently, undergraduate and post-graduate courses, namely, Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Technology (BMLT) and MD Pathology are also being run since 1987 and 1996, respectively. Presently, CP services in Nepal are being rendered at both public and private sectors. CP services in private sector are provided by small so-called CP laboratories usually attached to a medical shops to a well set laboratories run by qualified man power. All most all private CP laboratories in Nepal function at morning and/or evening as they are run by the people working at the hospitals or other medical institutions during day time. Beside, newly emerged nursing homes are also providing CP services. However, quality control system in CP service in Nepal, is not effective yet. Thus, establishment of a national institution functioning as both referral CP center and quality monitoring body on CP services, and introduction of mandatory CP license examination appears to be an urgent need of the days to provide a qualitative CP service to the needy people.