The Nigerian government has called for better integration of diagnostics services into the country’s healthcare system to improve service delivery.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako while speaking at the National Summit on Diagnostics in Abuja on Tuesday emphasised the critical role of diagnostics in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
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Mr Salako noted that diagnostics are vital for the identification, detection, and treatment of diseases, as well as for monitoring outbreaks and improving patient outcomes.
“As we know, the healthcare value chain encompasses all components that contribute to the delivery of healthcare services, from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation,” he said.
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“At the heart of this system lies diagnostic services, which serve as a cornerstone for accurate disease detection, effective treatment planning, and continuous patient monitoring.”
He said without a well-integrated diagnostic framework, the country’s aspirations for improved healthcare delivery and Universal Health Coverage will remain unattainable.
He added that without good diagnostics, it is impossible to deliver on any of the four pillars of the health sector renewal investment initiative.
Mr Salako also linked Nigeria’s diagnostic sector to economic growth, highlighting the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain as a key part of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that the initiative could create millions of jobs, reduce medical tourism, and strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
He further emphasised the need to adopt multiple technologies and maximise the contributions of all diagnostic professionals.
The summit
The summit, themed Unlocking Healthcare Value Chains and Improving Universal Health Coverage through Integrated Diagnostics Services, brought together local and international health organisations, laboratory experts, and diagnostics companies who showcased advanced diagnostic machines and tools.
In Nigeria, access to quality diagnostic services remains a challenge due to infrastructure deficits, and disparities between urban and rural healthcare facilities, and many others.
Recognising these challenges, stakeholders in the health sector are pushing for better integration of diagnostics into Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Future of diagnostics in Nigeria
Delivering the keynote address, the President of the West African Network of National Academies of Science (WANNAS), Oyewale Tomori, reflected on the evolution of laboratory diagnostics in Nigeria.
Mr Tomori contrasted past inefficiencies with present advancements, recalling a time when laboratory results took four to six weeks, by which time patients were often dead and buried.
He noted that results are now available within two to four days, significantly improving patient outcomes.
“With integrated diagnosis, the future generation will provide laboratory results 24 hours before you even get an infection, and then prevent the disease,” he said.
Mr Tomori also criticised Nigeria’s reliance on the World Health Organisation (WHO) for data analysis and decision-making.
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He highlighted flaws in disease surveillance, noting that only 10 per cent of 10,000 suspected viral fever cases are diagnosed.
He further condemned the centralised lab system and called for a more integrated approach.
He calls for investment in sustainable, well-equipped labs while emphasising that healthcare improvement requires ongoing collaboration and commitment from all stakeholders.
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