Sen. Sadiq Umar, Chairman senate committee on rules and business, has urged the Federal Government to invest in medical laboratories infrastructure in country.
Umar, a pharmacist, made the call at the on going Third National Summit of the Young Medical Laboratory Scientists Forum (YMLSF) in Abuja.
He also urged the young medical laboratory scientists to improve in accurate and timely diagnosis of diseases for proper treatment of patients.
He said that medical laboratory scientists are important in providing accurate diagnosis for the right treatment.
Umar also called for accountability, excellence and professionalism among the medical laboratory scientists.
The Chairman of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) Board, Prof. M.Y. Gwarzo, commended the YMLSF on their third national summit.
He said that effective health care system needs qualified and licensed medical laboratory scientists.
Gwarzo also emphasized the need for proper coordination for the practice in the country and establishment of directorate of medical laboratory services at the Federal Ministry of Health.
He also called for the employment of qualified and licensed medical laboratory scientists in tertiary hospitals in the country.
The acting Registrar of the MLSCN, Mr Tosan Erhabor, said the summit theme is achieving effective medical laboratory diagnosis and management through health system strengthening approach.
Erhabor, represented by a acting Director of Education MLSCN, Mr Godwin Aikpitanyi-Iditua, said the summit came at the right.
He said it would address the reported cases of medical tourism to other countries that cost Nigeria huge foreign exchange.
“We could not agree more with you that a paradigm shift in the health sector is long overdue.
“The theme resonates with the mandate and avowed commitment of MLSCN to strengthen the health laboratory system for accurate, reliable, timely and cost effective diagnosis.”
Erhabor also said the MLSCN management has redoubled efforts towards reawakening the consciousness of the entire medical laboratory service and sub sector to the imperative of keying into Quality Management System (QMS).
“Imbibing the tenets of QMS will undoubtedly fast-track the strengthening of the entire laboratory system in the country for good.”
He urged members of the forum to join hands with MLSCN to change the narrative of medical laboratory diagnosis in the country within the shortest time.
Earlier the National President of YMLSF, Mr Obinna Okeke, said that the overall goal of the forum was to synergies and harmonize the effort of the MLSCN.
He encouraged active participation in all activities and professional patriotism among YMLS members nationwide, they should also collaborate with other professionals to expand the frontiers of the profession.
Okeke said focusing on the theme, “the state of our health sector has become worrisome, patients now look for alternative sources of diagnosis and management of disease, which system needs to be strengthened.”
He said that the overall pointers of a good health system is responsiveness to the expectations of the population and fairness of financial contributions.
The National President also said their expectations was to develop strategies to strengthen our health system through proper diagnosis and management of diseases. (NAN)