Laboratory scientists canvass better quality control in services

Towards ensuring quality medical laboratory services, which benchmark international best practices, the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), National Task Force on Laboratory/ IVDS Inspection has sealed 28 laboratory facilities in Lagos for failing to meet minimum standards of operation.

Chairman, MLSCN, Dr. Lawrena Okoro, who recently said this in Lagos, explained; “the task force, which is poised to go round the country is already in Lagos, and we intend to actualize the goal of irreversible transformation of the medical laboratory services sector.”

Okoro who was speaking at a press briefing noted, “The whole essence of the exercise is not to seal or persecute people, but to ensure quality service in medical laboratories.”

In her address, she disclosed, “within the first week of the National Task Force working in Lagos, a total of 116 facilities were visited out of which 28 were sealed for either failing to meet minimum standards or for operating without Council approval or both.”

Four persons were arrested for quackery and impersonation as well, she added. The MLSCN chairman told journalists that, “As per the council’s vision of becoming a world acclaimed regulatory agency, we must be resolute in our commitment and drive towards its achievement.”

And that is why, “we are already combing the nooks and crannies of this mega city, flushing out quacks that have no business being in any medical laboratory,” she continued.

Asked on the actions to be taken on those arrested, she responded saying, “those arrested during the exercise would be prosecuted, this is justice for the people she said, as its unimaginable the number of Nigerians that have fallen victim to these mal practices and quackery.”

Deputy Director, External Quality Assurance and Safety, MLSCN, Mr. Godwin Aikpitanyi who was also present at the event gave an instance where several results of people found in a laboratory premises in Ojo, Lagos were only compatible with dead people in the mortuary.”

Aikpitanyi, further said, “assessments revealed that the laboratory scientist there, was inexperience and the equipment used were bad, as well as lack of proper quality control, which meant the laboratory was practicing sub standard, hence the director was arrested.”

Okoro identified that “the challenge most of the laboratories still have is, they do not have information about the manufacturers of some of the equipment they procured, and this has caused lack of maintenance plans.”

She lamented that, MLSCN has not registered anybody to offer mobile test laboratory services in the country, “and so as far as we are concerned, any such services are illegal.”

The professional approach, Okoro explained; “is that once the laboratories are approved, it is mandated for them to be part of a quality assurance programme.”

“And we have an external quality assurance component, which is done at specific intervals with the aim of striking results of laboratories to improve on quality ladder,” she pointed out.

Though the task force’s activities have been institutionalize in 2005, the MLSCN boss noted, but it was identified that when laboratories were sealed, people break the seals and continue operations after inspections.

She however said to tackle it, the process has been reengineered, and “that is why we are partnering the Ministry of Justice, State Security Agencies, Armed Forces, Police, civil Defense among others, so as to make it a much more enforced activity.”

Okoro appealed to the general public to look out for displayed certificate of approval by the Council in laboratory premises to know if they are approved to operate or not.