**3. Facilities**

An ideal endoscopy unit should posses the following areas as minimum requirements. (Digestive Health Foundation, Australia, 2007).


Each of these areas should have proper supply of consumables and necessary equipment. For instance; a recovery area should be situated adjacent to the procedure room(s) and must be freely accessible by a normal recovery room trolley. The recovery room should also have an oxygen supply dedicated to this area. Oxygen outlets will need to be provided so that each recovery bay is supplied. Wall mounted suction is desirable, however where unavailable, at least one dedicated mobile suction unit shall be provided.

The endoscopy units in the developing countries are not in any way near the specifications listed above. It is common to have reception and administration, waiting area, consulting/interview room and staff room all housed in one room. In some instances, doctors and nurses share rooms. Some facilities may have only one toilet for male and female staff and patients. Suction machines and oxygen delivery are often in short supply. What you find in an average endoscopy unit in a developing country is a reflection of what is available in an average hospital.
