The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has concluded plans to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI), biosecurity, bioinformatics and other emerging technologies into the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLS) curriculum in universities across the country to align training with global best practices.

Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the council, Dr Donald Ofili, disclosed this in Abuja when members of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSCN), led by its President, Dr Casmir Ifeanyi, paid him a congratulatory visit following his appointment.

Ofili explained that although the current BMLS curriculum remains relevant and up to date, the rapid evolution of medical laboratory science requires periodic reviews to accommodate emerging technologies and strengthen the capacity of lecturers.

He noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, areas such as genomic sequencing and artificial intelligence received limited attention but have now become critical components of modern laboratory practice alongside biosecurity and bioinformatics.

“Some of these courses are already incorporated in the current programme. The curriculum remains up to date, but during the next review, emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and bioinformatics, will be further integrated,” he said.

According to him, the council regulates and accredits institutions that train medical laboratory professionals, granting full accreditation to institutions that meet all statutory requirements, while provisional accreditation is issued to schools still addressing identified gaps. Accredited institutions include universities offering degree programmes and colleges of health technology training laboratory technicians.

Ofili also pledged to strengthen quality assurance mechanisms to ensure that diagnostic results generated by laboratories across the country are accurate and reliable, thereby safeguarding patient safety and public health.

He stressed that the council would ensure that only certified diagnostic kits are used in medical laboratories, warning that the use of unregulated test kits poses significant risks to healthcare delivery.

“We will ensure that test kits used in medical laboratories meet regulatory standards. Using diagnostic kits that have not undergone proper validation is a major risk to the integrity of laboratory results,” he said.

The registrar reiterated the council’s commitment to regulating medical laboratory practice and services across Nigeria, adding that his administration has introduced regulatory guidelines to improve the reliability and accuracy of laboratory results from more than 4,000 medical laboratories, including those in underserved communities.

Speaking on the regulation of in-vitro diagnostic reagents and chemicals, Ofili said Section 4(E) of the Act establishing the council empowers it to regulate the production, importation, sale and distribution of laboratory reagents and chemicals in Nigeria.

He explained that the council operates a Public Health In-Vitro Diagnostic Control Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos, where locally manufactured and imported diagnostic kits are validated before regulatory approval is granted.

“Test kits manufactured locally or imported into Nigeria are submitted to our laboratory for validation.”
Once they meet the required standards, the council issues regulatory approval for their production or importation,” he said.

Ofili added that the council would continue to regulate the activities of medical laboratory scientists, technicians and assistants to eliminate quackery within the profession.

Earlier, AMLSCN President, Dr Casimir Ifeanyi, described medical laboratory science as the cornerstone of patient safety and quality healthcare, expressing confidence that Ofili’s leadership would further strengthen diagnostic services across the country.

He said Nigerians should expect more accurate and reliable laboratory results that meet international standards under the new leadership.

Ifeanyi also noted that while serving as acting registrar, Ofili successfully positioned the council on the global stage through its admission into the Global Accreditation Corporation International, meaning laboratories accredited by the MLSCN now enjoy international recognition comparable to accredited laboratories in the United States, Canada, India and other countries.

He recalled that the council had earlier secured membership of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, further boosting the credibility of Nigeria’s medical laboratory accreditation system.

According to him, medical laboratory science plays a central role in healthcare delivery and national development.

“More than 70 per cent of clinical decisions, patient management, treatment, disease surveillance and public health interventions depend on data generated by medical laboratory scientists. Similarly, over 70 per cent of the revenue generated by health facilities comes from laboratory services, while most data used for public health planning, policymaking and electronic medical records are laboratory-generated,” he said.