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LabCast · Oct 17, 2025 · 59 min

Laboratory Practice in Underserved Areas- “Who shall I send?”

Half of the world’s population lives in rural or underserved areas—yet only a fraction of healthcare workers serve there. Laboratory professionals, vital for accurate diagnoses and outbreak surveillance, are in critically short supply. Globally, the healthcare workforce shortage is projected to reach 10–11 million by 2030, with low-income regions hit hardest. In this episode of Labcast, hosts Oluwadamilola and Jesutomisin sit with MLS Francisca Ekwonu, a clinical laboratory scientist and global health advocate, to ask a pressing question: “Who shall I send?” Together, they discuss the workforce crisis, risks of inadequate lab services, and innovations that could close the gap.

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Half of the world’s population lives in rural or underserved areas—yet only a fraction of healthcare workers serve there. Laboratory professionals, vital for accurate diagnoses and outbreak surveillance, are in critically short supply. Globally, the healthcare workforce shortage is projected to reach 10–11 million by 2030, with low-income regions hit hardest.

In this episode of Labcast, hosts Oluwadamilola and Jesutomisin sit with MLS Francisca Ekwonu, a clinical laboratory scientist and global health advocate, to ask a pressing question: “Who shall I send?” Together, they discuss the workforce crisis, risks of inadequate lab services, and innovations that could close the gap.

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