AMLSN Raises Alarm Over Nigeria’s 99% Dependence on Imported Diagnostic Products, Demands Immediate Reform

Sunday Ehigiator

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos State Branch, has raised the alarm over Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported diagnostic products, saying the country imports between 95 and 99 per cent of its in-vitro diagnostic products.

The association consequently demanded immediate reforms to strengthen local manufacturing, improve laboratory quality standards, regulate emerging diagnostic technologies and address critical manpower and funding gaps in the sector.

The demands formed part of 10 resolutions adopted at the end of the association’s 61st yearly scientific conference in Lagos, where experts examined the challenges and opportunities confronting Nigeria’s diagnostic and laboratory medicine system.

The conference, themed ‘Global Innovation in Laboratory Medicine: Sustaining Global Best Practices for Better Health Outcomes in Nigeria’, brought together medical laboratory scientists and other stakeholders to discuss point-of-care testing, artificial intelligence, digital laboratory medicine, local diagnostic manufacturing, genomic surveillance, quality systems, regulation and investment in diagnostic services.

The communiqué was signed by AMLSN Lagos State Branch Chairman, Kabiawu Adegboyega; Vice Chairman and Conference Planning Committee Chairman, Dr. Uba Benjamin; Secretary, Morounke Mannie-Udoh; and Publicity Secretary, Adeleke Olaoluwa.

Speaking at the conference, its Chairman and Managing Director of ISN Medical, Felix Ofungwu, said: “The level of import dependence has exposed the country to vulnerabilities in the supply of essential diagnostic commodities.”

He stressed the need for Nigeria to develop domestic capacity rather than continue to rely overwhelmingly on foreign products.

The conference consequently called for “the development of a phased national strategy for local production of diagnostic products”, as part of measures to reduce the country’s exposure to disruptions in international supply chains.

Ofungwu also called for sustained domestic funding for genomic surveillance, particularly as Nigeria continues to face infectious disease threats and the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

AMLSN urged the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) and relevant government authorities to strengthen quality governance for point-of-care testing and institutionalise funding for laboratory accreditation.

The association stressed that “diagnostic accuracy and reliability are central to effective healthcare delivery,” making quality assurance and accreditation critical to the country’s health system.

The conference also identified regulatory gaps created by the rapid growth of digital and artificial intelligence-driven healthcare technologies.

AMLSN called for urgent action to close the regulatory gap surrounding tele-laboratory and digital diagnostic services, noting that Nigeria does not yet have a unified Digital Health Act.

The association further demanded “the ethical integration of artificial intelligence into laboratory practice,” even as experts demonstrated the potential of the technology to accelerate diagnosis.

An AI-assisted diagnostic platform showcased at the conference reportedly reduced leukaemia classification time from several days to about two hours.

The association, however, cautioned that technological advancement must be accompanied by appropriate regulation, quality control and a skilled workforce.

To address the manpower challenge, the conference called for expanded postgraduate training and mentorship pipelines for Medical Laboratory Scientists.

The Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies at Lagos State University, Prof. Ibrahim Olateju, announced that the university was open to formal engagement with AMLSN towards establishing postgraduate programmes in Medical Laboratory Science.

AMLSN also renewed its opposition to the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (Amendment) Bill, HB 2701, and the Medical and Dental Practitioners (Amendment) Bill, HB 2695.

The association argued that the proposed legislation could undermine the statutory independence of MLSCN and weaken Nigeria’s laboratory accreditation standards.

Beyond professional regulation and training, AMLSN called on the federal government to strengthen the security of healthcare workers amid continuing reports of abductions of medical personnel in parts of the country.

The association also demanded that diagnostic and laboratory services be explicitly included in the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services funded under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

It said strengthening the country’s diagnostic system was critical to broader public health priorities, including viral hepatitis elimination, disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance response and pandemic preparedness.

The conference noted that Nigeria’s experience with COVID-19 genomic sequencing demonstrated the importance of strong laboratory capacity in responding to public health emergencies.

It therefore called for the gains made during the pandemic to be sustained and further developed.

The resolutions followed three days of technical discussions on point-of-care testing, artificial intelligence and digital laboratory medicine, local diagnostic manufacturing, genomic surveillance, quality systems, regulation and diagnostic investment.

AMLSN said implementing the recommendations would help build a more resilient diagnostic system capable of supporting better health outcomes while reducing Nigeria’s vulnerability to external shocks and disruptions in the supply of essential diagnostic products.