Legislator makes for better laboratory science practice in Nigeria

The Plateau Speaker wants the Institute of Medical Laboratory Scientist established.

The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, John Clark, has advocated for the establishment of a more functional professional body that will monitor and regulate the efficient practice of Medical Laboratory Science in Nigeria.

“Federal government should establish an Institute of Medical Laboratory Scientist in Nigeria to help monitor unprofessional activities,” he said.

The legislator made the plea in Jos, on Monday, while attending the opening ceremony of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Plateau Branch, 2013 section. The organizers said the sections were compulsory for all practicing Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria before they can renew their certificates of practice.

According to Mr. Clark, the professional body, when established, shall assist in fishing out quacks among the medical laboratory scientist professionals. He stressed that the duties of a laboratory scientist were crucial to the attainment of better health service delivery.

“Once the Laboratory Scientist gets it wrong at the diagnosing stage, the treatment would not be right therefore, the patient in question will suffer,” he said.

The lawmaker added that “this is why Laboratory Scientists must practice in accordance with laid down regulations of the profession to achieve better health services to the citizenry and the practitioner must be up to date in new techniques.”

Earlier, the Chairman Association of Medical Laboratory Scientist of Nigeria, AMLSN, Plateau State Chapter, James Damen, in an address expressed concern on the increasing cases of infectious diseases in Africa.

“Africa has the largest and most overwhelmingly burden of infectious diseases,” he said.

The laboratory science expert informed that the association was working toward closing the gap in the effective diagnosing of aliments.

“As a responsible professional body, we are determined to eradicate wrong diagnosis not only in the state but in the country,” he said.

He urged participants at the event, who were drawn from Yobe, Kogi, Bauchi, Plateau and Abuja, to use the knowledge they acquire from the seminar to uplift the standard of the profession in their states.

The five-day seminar, which has about 210 participants, will provide 3 days of free medical services for people from the central part of Plateau, who reside in Mangu Local Government Area of the State.