MEDICAL LABORATORY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA
(NATIONAL MEDICAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION AGENCY)
REGULATION OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SERVICES
FOR QUALITY TEST RESULTS
The attention of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria
(MLSCN) has been drawn to the advertortals published by the Medical and
Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) in The Guardian & Daily Trust
newspapers on monday. February 24, 2014. In the publications, the MDCN
directed all medical doctors and dentists to resist any attempt by the
medical enuciated in Cap M25 LFN, 2004. MLSCN considers such a directive
regrettable as it is a great disservice to the yearnings and
aspirations of Nigerians across the country and the recent clamour in
the House of Representatives on the need to curb poor test results issued by medical laboratories
MLSCN which is focused on enhanced regulation for quality medical lab
test results shall remain undaunted and will continue to reach out to all
stakeholders to join hands in the arduous task to upscale medical
laboratory services in the country which is presently chaotic and
largely unreliable.
Rather than bowing to the stampede of
one of its affiliate sub-groups (ASSOPON) renowned for making incendiary
remarks about other professionals, MDCN should focus more on supporting
MLSCN to improve medical laboratory services. The claim that it is
reacting to MLSCN publications in some national dailies, which it
described as "such provocative notices" is mere subterfuge, as MLSCN is
not usurping its responsibity to regulate CLINICAL LABORATORY PRACTICALS (Cap M8) as opposed to MEDICAL LABORATORY SERVICES.
Act 11 of 2003 (Cap 5 LFN 2004). which the MDCN wrongly cited charges MLSCN with the "maintenance and control
including statutory inspection, approval and monitoring of ALL medical
laboratories including those adjoined to clinics, private and public
health institutions," Council holds this mandate dearly and it has no
intention to abandon it! It is inappropriate for MDCN to state that "If
any Regulatory Body is not satisfied with the status quo, the proper
thing to do is to apply to the appropriate authorities for a redress" as
fellow citizens deserve better than the status quo exemplified by
inaccurate and unreliable test results, quackery, forgrey of test
results etc. The consequences of the status quo include loss of public
confidence in the medical laboratory system with attendant medical
tourism and capital flight that must be stemmed
In order to set the records straight, Council hereby:
1. Refers stakeholders and the general public public to its notice
issued in the Guardian newspaper of january 30, 2014 and other in order
to verify the MDCN claim that the said notice was provocative.
2. Asks the MDCN
to reflect on its claim that it is provocative for medical laboratories to
seek approval before operating or to be enrolled in the national
datebase or the external quality assessment programme (EQA) or to key into into continuous quality improvement (CQI)
3. Contends that MDCN is unable to refute the fact that MLSCN is mandated to regulate medical laboratory services in the country. Indeed the MLSCN Act Cap M25 LFN clearly mandates it to " INSPECT, REGULATE and ACCREDIT MEDICAL LABORATORIES"
Why overheat the already turbulent health sector just to prove to some
war-mongering affiliate that you are championing its interest?
4. Notes that No patriotic, regulatory authority should continue to
ignore the present chaotic state of medical laboratory services
irrespective of the owners. Whose interest will a docile,insular
Regulatory Body in the garb of status quo or business as usual serve?
5. Whereas MDCN is charged to regulate the practice and training of
medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria, MLSCN is charged to regulate the practice and training medical laboratory scientists, technicians and assistants in Nigeria AS WELL AS MEDICAL LABORATORY SERVICES (Processes - approval, certification, accreditation; diagnostics and infrastructure)
6. Whereas Practice regulation by doctors and medical lab scientists
is based on compliance with professional Codes of Conduct/Ethics,
services regulation is THRICE much more as indicated above. If MDCN was truly charged to be regulating services, it would have had in its database approved hospitals, clinics, theatres, ICU,
wards etc, which it understandably does not have as it is not so
mandated unlike in the case of MLSCN for medical laboratories datebase.
Ownership of the medical laboratory does not preclude the full operation
of Sections 4th and 19(Id) of the MLSCN Act as the import is to ensure delivery of quality medical lab test results to Nigerians!
Operators of all public and private medical laboratories are therefore
urged to conform to the set medical laboratory services national
standards and guidelines (www.mlscn.gov.ng) to guarantee quality service
delivery and not be distracted by undue territorial tuft polemics
Signed
MANAGEMENT
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