ISN Medical’s Solutions Tackle Rising Diagnostic Errors in Nigeria

Omolabake Fasogbon

Amid concerns around declining medical accuracy driving gaps in patient care, indigenous medical diagnostic equipment distributor, ISN Medical, is rising to the challenge with a suite of targeted interventions aimed at reversing the troubling trend.

Data from the National Health Facility Survey released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2026 revealed that diagnostic accuracy among clinical health workers in Nigeria’s public health facilities declined from 56.2 per cent in 2023 to 46.1 per cent in 2025.

The decline, linked to varying factors including knowledge gaps among personnel and unvalidated medical kits, is driving proactive solutions from ISN Medical beyond merely supplying equipment.

Director of Diagnostics at ISN Medical, Ms Judith Obi, stressed that accurate diagnoses often depend not only on sophisticated equipment, but on healthcare workers’ understanding of quality control measures, reference ranges and external quality assessment procedures.

She noted that access to quality diagnostics remains a critical pillar of effective healthcare delivery, adding that solutions must be built to be sustainable, reliable and supported long-term.

Towards this, the organisation is deploying an approach that combines globally recognised diagnostic technologies with local expertise and technical support to improve turnaround times and expand local testing capacity.

Obi said: “We are also pushing molecular diagnostics, digital pathology and laboratory automation to strengthen early disease detection and precision medicine.”

On capacity building, Obi said the organisation remains intentional about training healthcare professionals on laboratory quality management systems, standard operating procedures and international best practices.

“What we are trying to do is ensure that this gospel of excellence and quality that we are preaching reaches laboratory professionals who are building and managing their own laboratory spaces, so they can consistently deliver quality results.

“Any of us could find ourselves in a situation where quality diagnostics become the difference between life and death. Sometimes, understanding the correct reference range or knowing how to properly run an external quality assessment can be what saves a life,” she noted.

She explained that ISN Medical is actively supporting healthcare institutions with laboratory automation, molecular diagnostics, pathology solutions and workflow optimisation tools to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce turnaround times.

She added that advancements in digital pathology, molecular diagnostics and healthcare connectivity are creating opportunities for earlier disease detection and more precise treatment, particularly in oncology and infectious disease management.

She further urged stronger local diagnostic capacity to curb medical tourism and rebuild trust in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Earlier, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Felix Ofungwu, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to quality, noting that despite price sensitivity in the healthcare market, it refuses to compromise on integrity.

“Our 50-year success comes from staying true to our values — putting customers first, acting with integrity, and never compromising on quality. Our dual ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certifications set us apart.

“Beyond sales, we prioritise responsibility, supporting hospitals through reliable supply chains, equipment maintenance, disease research and chronic care to minimise downtime,” he said.