As part of measures to ensure quality and reliable medical diagnoses in the country, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria has called for enhanced investment and budgetary allocation to the subsector.
The former National President of AMLSN, Dr. Bassey Eya Bassey, speaking in Enugu at the ‘Maiden Annual Conference and Workshop 2023’ organised by the association’s Enugu Chapter, harped on the importance of funding the subsector.
The Theme for the conference was “Quality and Prospects of Medical Laboratory Services in Nigeria in the Face of Emerging Technologies”.
The former president, who was the keynote speaker, was represented by a member, Musa Waziri.
Bassey noted that adequate medical laboratory financing and provision of modern equipment would enable AMLSN members to compete globally and reduce medical tourism being experienced in the country.
He said members could compete with their peers in other countries, stressing that their only challenge was dearth of resources, including equipment.
Bassey, who is also the National Coordinator for Extended Programme on Immunisation, said 70 per cent of hospitals diagnoses were made in the laboratories, adding that if well positioned, the country’s health sector would be among the best.
He called on governments and other stakeholders to invest in medical laboratories, emphasising that there are lots of benefits to be derived.
“We cannot compete favourably globally because of poor funding and there are many analytical processes that cannot be done here because of the dearth of equipment.
“Our expectation is that government should look at its policy document that says that laboratory should have a budget and also a global policy that stated that laboratory should pursue accreditation and have a budget,” Bassey added.
Earlier in a welcome address, Chairman AMLSN, Enugu Chapter, Dr. Ejiofor Mamah, said the conference was aimed at creating a forum where scholars, researchers and practitioners could come together to share scientific knowledge and experiences.
According to him, they expected to share knowledge on the areas of applied sciences, infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health pharmacology and other related field.
He lamented that 20 years after the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria granted AMLSN autonomy to be a professional body, Medical Laboratory Sciences has remained a department in Nigerian universities, instead of becoming a faculty.
Dr. Mamah, therefore, called on MLSCN, AMLSN, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, National Universities Commission, Federal Ministry of Health, and other relevant authorities to ensure that MLS is transformed into a faculty in Nigerian universities.
(NAN)
