64 - Solving the Pathology Crisis in Low and Middle-Income Countries

All patients who have suspected cancer require access to diagnostic pathology services. The total costs of having a pathology laboratory benefit greatly from economies of scope and scale such that a population of at least 1,000,000 people being served by a laboratory can bring costs into a reasonable range. However, resource-constrained settings (i.e., development, economy, geographic location, limited population sizes) face many challenges with having and maintaining pathology diagnostic services not the least of which--although one of the most difficult to overcome--is the financing stream for operations. Low volumes, insufficient personnel, outdated or non-serviced equipment, unreliable supply chains, and resource mismatch all occur but can be overcome with system-wide planning, training, public-private partnerships, and aligned national cancer control plans which involve all stakeholders. Unique solutions including innovations, consortia, and telepathology/telementoring can also be key components of success.