About 15 health facilities in the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT), Abuja has been placed under lock and key by the
Federal Government for operating medical laboratory which
was regarded to be below standard.
Other part of the country, it was gathered would be the next
point of call for the inspecting team which will be visiting
health facilities.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical
Science Laboratory Council of Nigeria ( MLSCN) Prof. Anthony
Emeribe said henceforth, government will not hesitate to wield
the big stick in dealing with arbitrary practices in medical
laboratory services.
Emeribe said: “Bequeathing a culture of quality service in our
medical laboratories is an onerous task and we are rising to
the occasion. Regardless of the successes already recorded in
reducing quackery and the preponderance of fake or
substandard medical laboratory products in the country, we
still have a lot to do.
“In the past we were conducting field inspections more
frequently, however a disturbing pattern emerged and caused
us to tarry and reconsider our strategy.”
Emeribe stated that this change of strategy has resulted to
positive steps leading to sealing off about 15 health facilities
in Abuja and the arrest of a culprit in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Details of the sealed off health facilities by the MLSCN include
“4 private hospitals and clinics, 9 standalone medical
laboratories and 2 pharmacy laboratory testing sites.”
Further details revealed that about 58 health facilities were
visited by three separate teams. There were also cases of 13
private laboratories operating with the MLSCN approval.
He said, “those who are benefitting from the rot in the system
are reluctant to embrace the transformation we are working
towards. But they will not deter us.”
The Office of the Head of Service has directed that no science
technologist should practice again in any medical laboratory in
the country.
In the circular sent to the MLSCN and other agencies,
government said it will no longer tolerate the practice where
science technologists and laboratory scientists are allowed to
work in medical laboratory environment.
The circular urged all science technologists and laboratory
scientists to rather restrict themselves within the purview of
science laboratories regulated by the Federal Ministry of
Science and Technology.