Diagnosis and treatment : a training manual for primary health care workers / Dr Keith Birrell, Dr Ginny Birrell.

Nearly 54 million people died worldwide in 1998, the majority of them in developing countries. Many of these deaths were avoidable. This text is for all first-line health workers who see patients in a primary care setting. The practical training manual teaches how to: diagnose and treat the most common illnesses presented at rural and urban health centres; prescribe rationally in line with WHO and national drugs guidelines; and deliver good patient care with scarce resources. It is based on a series of training courses developed by VSO and national doctors and health workers and incorporates information from over 30 health experts and practitioners worldwide. It can also be used as a self-study guide and as a reference. Based on extensive field experience and field testing, this manual should help primary health care workers use essential drugs to effectively combat the ill health that continues to hinder human well-being and development in the world's poorest countries.