Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has called for enhanced investment and budgetary allocation to the subsector for improved quality diagnosis in the country.
The former National President of AMLSN, Dr Bassey Eya Bassey, made the call in Enugu at the maiden Annual Conference and Workshop organised by AMLSN, Enugu Chapter.
The Theme for the conference was given as the “Quality and Prospects of Medical Laboratory Services in Nigeria in the Face of Emerging Technologies.”
Bassey, who was the keynote speaker, was represented by a member, Musa Waziri.
He 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.
The former AMLSN president said members could compete with their peers in other countries, stressing that their only predicament was dearth of resources, including equipment.
Bassey, who is also the National Coordinator for Extended Programme on Immunisation, said that 70 per cent hospitals diagnoses were made in the laboratories, adding that if positioned well, the country’s health sector would be among the best.
He called on governments and investors to invest in medical laboratories as there were lots of benefits to be derived.
“We cannot compete favourable 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 said.
Earlier in a welcome address, Dr Ejiofor Mamah, Chairman AMLSN, Enugu Chapter, 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 decried that 20 years after the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) granted AMLSN autonomy to be a professional body, Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) has remained a department in Nigerian universities instead of becoming a faculty.
Mamah, therefore, called on MLSCN, AMLSN, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), National Universities Commission (NUC), Federal Ministry of Health and other the relevant authorities to ensure that MLS is transformed into a faculty in Nigerian universities.
