Challenges and opportunities for paediatric gastroenterology in low- and middle-income countries: high time for action.

Gastroenterology remains a poorly developed subspec-ialty of paediatrics in many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). In LMIC, general paediatricians and other health staff with no specialist training in paediatric gastroenterology often have to cope with complex gastroenterological conditions which result in delayed diagnosis, unnecessary complications and avoidable mortality.