Management of medical technology in developing countries.

To help developing countries to improve their medical use of physical technology, it is essential to study their difficulties and real needs. The greater severity of equipment problems in the third world, relative to the developed countries, indicates the important influence of an established technological culture. Strategies such as the training of technicians cannot succeed in the absence of this culture unless effective national policies to manage technology are implemented. The training of high-level staff in medical technology management must be a priority for international action. Below this level it is necessary to train engineering graduates, rather than technicians, to manage and maintain equipment.