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The Manual of Basic Techniques for a Health Laboratory, published by the WHO in 2003, is a very useful and pragmatic guide book for setting up, equipping and running a health laboratory, called. It is available by the WHO  to download for free via this link.

It is intended for use mainly in medical laboratories in developing countries, particularly in peripheral laboratories (e.g. small or medium-sized laboratories attached to regional hospitals), and in dispensaries and rural health centres where, often, one technician has to work alone.

The examination described can be carried out with a microscope or another simple apparatus, e.g. stool examination for helminth eggs, blood examination for malaria parasites, or a differential leukocyte count. It also provides guidance on the identification of the different parasites found in human specimens, how chemical reagents are being prepared, calibration of laboratory equipment, and much more.

It would be great to hear about users' experiences with the guide - are there any subjects that are missing, or should be described in more detail? Please leave your feedback below!