Adodo Osewengie
The Federal Government (FG) has said it will continue to devote its maximum attention to the growth of the health sector and the upgrade of its facilities across the nation to checkmate being overwhelmed by strange diseases.
The FG also stated that for it to actualise its vision to have a robust healthcare system, it will continue to strengthen all its regulatory agencies to meet up to world best practices in delivering health services to Nigerians.
In a statement by the Minister of Health for State, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, on Tuesday in Abuja, at the unveiling of the accreditation service of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) as an associate member of the International Laboratory Cooperation (ILAC), he noted that the accreditation was in good faith geared towards standardising the medical laboratory practices across the nation.
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According to him, the growth in the Nigerian health sector and the early diagnosis of some underlying ailments like cancer have helped tremendously in its management. Commending the MLSCN for achieving this feat, Mamora advised the council to continue to dedicate stern commitments towards improving the health services in the country while adhering to world best practices noting that licences are always reviewed.
The Minister also implored the Federal Teaching Hospitals, Federal Medical Centres and Specialist Hospitals to change the current narratives by keying into the programmes of MLSCN, noting that nine medical laboratories had gotten their accreditation.
However, he acknowledged the fact that the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus pandemic instigated the federal government to further strengthen the healthcare system of the nation to meet up to evolving challenges. In his statement made available to newsmen, the Minister said, “we know that the outcome of any disease process is early diagnosis and prompt treatment.
“The accreditation will go a long way to ensure that diagnoses are properly carried out for a good result,” Mamora added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tosan Erhabor, Registrar of Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), revealed that as a statutory agency of the government responsible for regulating the practice and service deliveries of medical laboratories in Nigeria as enshrined in Act 11 of 2003 (CAP M25 LFN 2004), it presented an accreditation certificate of ISO 15189:2012 to National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Saye – Zaria, Kaduna State.
Erhabor said for the council to meet up to world best practices, it has adopted the ISO 15189:2012 as the national industrial standard for accreditation of public and private medical laboratories.
“In line with meeting international best practices, Nigeria has adopted the ISO 15189:2012 as a national industrial standard for accreditation of public and private medical laboratories.
“This standard covers a variety of areas, including human resources, infrastructure, equipment, In-Vitro Diagnostics regulation, analysis and quality management system.
“The council has also developed several regulatory guidelines and a protocol for inspection of medical laboratories to support and strengthen its accreditation programmes.
“In line with meeting international best practices, MLSCN became an affiliate member of cooperation on Nov. 2, 2014, and now is upgraded to associate member,” he added.
