Laboratory diagnostic capacity readiness assessment of primary health centers

Abstract

Background: In order to achieve universal health coverage, it is important to intensify primary health care and enrich packages of health care service. Especially enhancing laboratory service at primary health care centers would add a great value to achieve universal health coverage in Mongolia. Objective: To access readiness of laboratory diagnostic capacity at Family and Soum Health Centers. Materials and methods: This study used cross sectional data from 70 Family and Soum Health Centers across Mongolia, which used “Service availability and readiness assessment” tool developed by WHO. Diagnostic capacity is assessed by mean availability of laboratory tests with appropriate equipment such as hemoglobin, blood glucose, and urine dipstick for protein, urine dipstick for glucose, HIV diagnostic capacity, syphilis RDT, and urine pregnancy test etc. Results: The score of 55.3% for the Diagnostics Capacity Index reveals that diagnostic tests are generally in short supply across all participating PHC facilities. Common tests are more widely available such as testing for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis C and B (more than 90%). Many types of blood tests were not widely available (under 50%) in the PHC centers. The results from the disaggregated analysis by facility types show that FHCs in aimags has the lowest diagnostic capacity (29.5%), and the highest was Grade-1 SHC (81.7%). Conclusion: Laboratory diagnostic capacity of primary health centers is evaluated as insufÏcient. Family health centers operating in rural area calls a special attention to enhance its laboratory diagnostic capacity