Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2013 Jun;137(6):767-74. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2011-0588-RA.
Like other pathology services in developing settings, pediatric pathology in Africa is faced with major challenges such as limited access to resources and few opportunities for professional advancement. Additionally, the discrepancy between the large burden of pediatric diseases, many of which individually are rare enough to prove challenging to the general pathologist, and the amount of specialized training available compounds the underlying problems and makes the provision of a high-quality service difficult. Pediatric neoplasms in particular are a chief cause for concern among general pathologists practicing in Africa.
To provide relevant pediatric pathology information with an emphasis on pediatric malignancies to pathologists practicing in Africa, where children represent a very high proportion of the population and training in pediatric pathology is incomplete.
Authors' experience and relevant literature.
The limitations inherent in working within a low-resource setting may be reduced by thoughtful and purposeful triaging of specimens, prudent use of cytology in facilitating rapid and inexpensive diagnoses, and collaboration within and outside of the continent. Increased investment in and advocacy for child health, including the creation of additional hospitals dedicated to the care of children, are likely necessary to significantly advance children's health in the region.
与发展中国家的其他病理学服务一样，非洲的儿科病理学面临着资源有限和专业发展机会较少等重大挑战。此外，儿科疾病的负担很大，其中许多疾病本身就很少见，足以对普通病理学家构成挑战，而可用的专业培训数量与所面临的问题不成比例，使得提供高质量的服务变得更加困难。儿科肿瘤在非洲的普通病理学家中尤为令人担忧。
为在非洲行医的病理学家提供相关儿科病理学信息，重点是儿科恶性肿瘤，因为在非洲，儿童占人口的很大比例，而儿科病理学的培训并不完整。
作者的经验和相关文献。
通过对标本进行深思熟虑和有针对性的分类、明智地利用细胞学来促进快速和廉价的诊断以及在大陆内部和外部进行合作，可以减少在资源有限的环境中工作所固有的限制。需要增加对儿童健康的投资和宣传，包括创建更多专门用于儿童护理的医院，以显著改善该地区儿童的健康状况。
