Minister Charges MLSCN to Tackle Quackery, Misconduct in Laboratory Practice

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has directed the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to ensure that anybody who is not certified to practice the profession in Nigeria does not do so.  

He also challenged the management of the council to ensure that only registered and certified medical laboratory science professionals are allowed to practice in the country.
Salako who gave charge during a visit to headquarters of MLSCN in Abuja also charged the organisation to ensure that erring professionals are summarily sanctioned to act as deterrent to others.

While commending the Council for embarking on the digitalization of its operations, the minister urged MLSCN management to brace up and sanction those who engage in unprofessional practices as well as address quackery in the sector.

He said: “There is no doubt that as a regulatory body in-charge of regulating the practice of laboratory professionals, technicians and others, you have the law behind to regulate their practices.
“Therefore, if you are talking about not having qualified people being employed by medical facilities then I will throw it back to you that it is still your lapses because it is your responsibility to ensure that anybody that is not qualified does not practice in Nigeria.
“The law is behind you and you should sanction practitioners who are quacks and also employers who engage quacks.

“So, you just have to sit up and do your responsibility. Salako told the Council that digitalization will help it maintain up-to-date list of professionals nationwide and be able to track their activities.
The Minister of State said there is no doubt that medical laboratory science is a very important aspect of the healthcare delivery system.

“As clinicians, we know that often when the result of laboratory test diagnosis is out, it gives more confidence by confirming that the diagnosis is going on in the right direction. It’s like shining a light on a dark spot.
“We have seen a lot of times where wrong diagnosis has led to a lot of fatalities and disabilities and sometimes in loss of lives so you must continue to prioritize what you do.”

Salako assured that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will continue to support MLSCN to ensure that it is able to carry out its mandate.

“I am happy with some developments at the council, especially the level of digital penetration in your operations. It’s quite high and should be further improved on,” he said.

The minister also commended the council’s efforts in the area of maintenance of facilities and manpower training in the sector.

On his part, the Registrar of MLSCN, Prof. Today Erhabor, assured the minister that the organisation is set to do more to ensure that the country witnesses standard medical laboratory services.

On the directive by the minister to sanction unprofessional conduct, the registrar said: the council will. immediately kickstart an operation to rid the country of all manner of quackery in medical laboratory practice.

‘There will be no space for quackery in Medical Laboratory Science profession in Nigeria anymore,” the minister assured.