From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Federal Government has declared war on quackery in the health sector, stating its commitment to winning the war that will clear the health sector of quacks that are a threat to quality health care service delivery.
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the declaration in Abuja at the presentation of International Standard Organization (ISO) Accreditation Certificates to
National External Quality Assessment Laboratory programme (NEQAL) operated by the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), and some other deserving medical laboratory facilities in Nigeria.
The Minister noted that quackery especially in the medical laboratory has tempered with the integrity of the system thus eroding public trust and confidence, in addition to bringing bad reputations to Nigerian health care system, hence the determination and commitment across the healthcare service delivery value chain to fight the quacks.
He said: “One of our priority agenda is to frontally confront quackery in the health sector. Regulatory bodies like the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) are essential in achieving this objective, and I will like to charge you to roll out all your arsenals and deployed technology to ensure that quackery is eliminated from our healthcare delivery system.
“We are prepared to give all the needed support to ensure that all public and private laboratories in Nigeria enroll with MLSCN’s accreditation service and the National External Quality Assessment Laboratory programme (NEQAL) to evaluate the proficiency of the laboratory services rendered to Nigerians.
He confirmed the backing of the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the task, as well as his commitment to improved health care system for the benefit of Nigerians. “The reinstatement of budgetary funding for all the health regulatory bodies is a testament to the special position the health sector occupies in the agenda of Mr. President.”
The Minister congratulated MLSCN for the ISO-accreditation of NEQAL and other laboratories for outstanding achievement, and urged other laboratories in the country to emulate them by improving their infrastructure, manpower base, and processes.
“Without good laboratory practices, our focus on disease prevention and control can not achieve optimal results. Also, unlocking the value chain agenda of the ministry requires robust input of laboratory scientists through the local development of vaccines, diagnostic kits, devices, and reagents,” the Minister added.
MLSCN Registrar, Tosan Erhabor, explained that NEQAL signifies a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s journey towards achieving global excellence in Medical Laboratory Science in Nigeria, adding that the conferment of the ISO accreditation on the NEQAL is a significant milestone in the advancement of healthcare in Nigeria.
He noted that MLSCN, by adhering to the rigorous standards set by ISO, has not only elevated the quality of laboratory services within the country, but has also ensured that the results generated by Nigerian laboratories are internationally recognized and accepted.
“This achievement has far-reaching implications for patient care, public health, and the overall development of the healthcare sector. Undoubtedly, accurate and reliable laboratory diagnostics is the cornerstone of modern medicine.
“They enable early detection of diseases, guides appropriate treatment decisions, and contribute significantly to improving patient outcomes. The ISO re-accreditation will, undoubtedly, enhance the quality and reliability of laboratory results, leading to better patient care, reduced treatment errors, and improved public health outcomes.”
The MLSCN boss appealed to all medical laboratory practitioners in Nigeria to embrace accreditation as a means of demonstrating their technical competence in line with President’s Health Sector Renewal Initiative, and support of the achievement of Federal Ministry of Health’s four point agenda, particularly on improved regulation, local manufacturing of health commodities, diagnostics, research and development
He also suggested that the Minister mandate all government and private hospitals as well as private laboratories to key into MLSCN accreditation service and MLSCN External Quality Assurance Proficiency Test EQA/PT Scheme.
“This policy will ensure that every laboratory in Nigeria will adhere to the rigorous standards. Fostering a culture of accountability and consistency in diagnostics services, which will be a game changer guaranteeing that every Nigerian irrespective of location receive the same high standard of diagnostics accuracy,” he said.
In addition to the re-accreditation of NEQAL, about eight laboratory facilities also got accreditation from MLSCN in-country for their capacity to produce results that are internationally acceptable.
