Injections: a fatal attraction?

The abuse of injections in the developing world has reached alarming proportions in recent years. Formal as well as informal health providers administer far too many injections to clients who perceive this form of treatment as superior to all other forms of medicine administration. Often sterilization procedures are less than adequate or non-existent, thereby increasing the risk of spreading HIV and infectious diseases to all segments of the population. Very little is at present known about why injections are so popular or the extent to which they are administered in the various health care sectors in developing countries. This article gives an overview of the present state of knowledge and highlights the need for further information in order to address the problem appropriately. It is suggested that the quest for injections may be seen as part of some general trends of change in the developing world. The article also indicates some of the important areas for further research.