Medical laboratory practice in Malawi – Current status

Medical practice has evolved over the past years from symptom-based clinical diagnoses to evidence-based diagnoses demanding clinical laboratory investigations. Clinical experts at the Mayo Clinic in the United States estimated that almost 70% of patient management decisions rely on laboratory diagnostic information.1,2 In sub-Saharan Africa, the need for quality diagnostic services is apparent; nevertheless, access to quality and reliable laboratory services in the region has been a big challenge.3