Increasing Trends in Unhealthy Practices of Clinical Laboratory Medicine Service in Nepal

ABSTRACT

The medical laboratories are increasing significantly with striking challenges in ensuring praiseworthy public health service in Nepal. Quality medical laboratory service provision is important in order to enhance diagnostic value and save lives. Poverty, poor infrastructure, unskilled manpower and incompetency are major contributing factors leading to inefficient provision of health services in developing countries. Nepal has been increasing its network of clinical health laboratories in the Government and private sectors that are scattered in various geographical regions. The quality of service remains a growing concern even as medical diagnostic laboratories are undergoing the process of accreditation for quality services in line with WHO standards. But, still the status of clinical laboratory practice regarding quality assurance, skilled manpower, standard labs and cost effective quality service remains challenging due to different loopholes in policy making. The regulatory bodies and legal provisions seem to be in non-functional state. The malpractices in clinical laboratory medicine service are increasing exponentially. Therefore, this review draws attention towards unhealthy practices in clinical laboratory services and critically examines different factors affecting the healthy practice in medical laboratory science.