The Federal Government has emphasised the need to standardise and harmonise diagnostics services across the country’s primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
Speaking at the National Summit on Diagnostics in Abuja, Minister of State for Health, Dr Adekunle Salako, stated that diagnostic services are a cornerstone for accurate disease detection, effective treatment planning, and continuous monitoring and improvement of patient outcomes.
According to him, aspirations for improved healthcare delivery and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) will remain unattainable, without a well-integrated diagnostic framework. Salako also noted that without good diagnostics, the country cannot deliver on any of the four pillars of the health sector renewal investment initiative.
The minister pointed out that integrated diagnostic services are crucial for enhancing efficiency, eliminating service duplication, and ensuring the optimal utilisation of resources, stressing that through this approach, the country will address longstanding challenges in diagnostic services, such as fragmentation, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to high-quality services, particularly in underserved communities.
He said the summit presents a unique opportunity to highlight the role of diagnostics in delivering an efficient, effective, resilient and responsive health system. “It also helps to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the role of diagnostics in achieving the government’s health agenda at different levels.
“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.
Salako said the theme, “Unlocking Healthcare Value Chains and Improving Universal Health Coverage through Integrated Diagnostic Services,” resonates with the government’s strategic health sector blueprint to strengthen Nigeria’s health system.
He stated that the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the indispensable role of diagnosis in managing public health emergencies as it provides an opportunity to build a stronger diagnostic ecosystem that not only meets routine healthcare needs but also enhances national health security and pandemic preparedness.
Salako noted that a strong and well-coordinated diagnostic system is not only vital for clinical decision-making but also for disease surveillance, health data management, and ensuring timely interventions.
He said that the goal should be how to integrate diagnostic services into the broader healthcare value chain to enhance efficiency, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs in the long run.
According to him, the Presidential Initiative for unlocking the healthcare value chain is a strategic element of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which has the potential to save foreign exchange, create millions of jobs, reduce the cost of care and outbound medical tourism, as well as improve the health status of Nigerians and the economy.
The minister called on government agencies, international development partners, private sector actors, and professional associations to ensure continuous integration of diagnostic services into the healthcare delivery system using multiple technologies and optimising the contribution of all diagnostic professionals.
He urged all actors within the diagnostic space to always play as a team, and respect and cooperate for the good of the patients. Salako enjoined stakeholders to join in the effort to transform the Nigeria healthcare ecosystem to unlock the full potential of diagnostics, transforming the healthcare value chain and improving health outcomes for all Nigerians.
On his part, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Walter Mulombo, stated that strengthening the laboratory system is pivotal to achieving UHC, improving disease surveillance, and ensuring accurate, timely, and reliable diagnostics for better patient care.
Mulombo acknowledged that the revision of the National Medical Lab Service Policy, which ensures a robust regulatory framework, development of the National Medical Lab Strategic Plan, and dissemination of the National Essential Diagnostic Lists to improve access to critical diagnostic tests, and facilitation of integrated yearly operational work plan is a major step in harmonising the lab services, reducing inefficiencies, optimising resources, and improving disease diagnosis and management.
Mulombo disclosed that WHO is supporting the technology transfer and the skill building in continuous diagnostic technologies, training of IBD auditors on quality assurance and risk management, leading to the ISO certification of National In-vitro Diagnostic Star of Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSN), a critical step in ensuring both locally manufactured and imported in-vitro diagnostics.
He reiterated WHO’s commitment to supporting the Federal Ministry of Health and the Medical Lab Service Division in advancing lab services, strengthening diagnostic networks, and ensuring sustainable access to high-quality diagnostics for all Nigerians.
According to him, the summit is not just a landmark summit, but it’s a bold step towards a future where every Nigerian, irrespective of where he is located at a state or NGO, and also irrespective of socioeconomic status, has access to high-quality, timely, and affordable diagnostics.
“In the face of dwindling resources and financial constraints, WHO will continue to provide technical and strategic support in our capacity to help Nigeria achieve a sustainable, resilient, and high-quality lab system. Together, we will drive transformative change in the diagnostic landscape and strengthen Nigeria’s health system for generations to come,” he added.
Also speaking, the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDs (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, expressed the agency’s commitment to strengthening health systems and improving diagnostic capacities across the country.
Ilori stated that Nigeria has made strategic investments in laboratory infrastructure, capacity building, specimen referral and supply chain optimisation, ensuring that Nigeria remains resilient in the face of emerging health challenges.
According to her, NACA remains committed to fostering collaborations that will enhance laboratory services and ensure equitable access to quality diagnostics.
Ilori reaffirmed NACA’s support for initiatives that enhance diagnostic services and health system resilience in the country.
She urged the participants to embrace innovative solutions, leverage global best practices and strengthen the partnership that will drive sustainable progress in the Nigerian diagnostic space and ultimately healthcare system.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Daju Kachollom, stated that diagnostics are fundamental to effective healthcare delivery, influencing over 70 per cent of medical decisions, and naming challenges as gaps in accessibility and limitations in technology and infrastructure.
Kachollom, who was represented by the Director of the Hospital Services Department of the Ministry, Salaudeen Jimoh, said the theme reflects a commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
The Permanent Secretary said that the summit affords a unique opportunity to evaluate progress, identify obstacles, and formulate actionable strategies aimed at transforming the diagnostic landscape in the country.
