Federal Govt To Shut Down Medical Labs Not Registered With MLSCN 

Minister of state for health, Joseph Ekumankama, has charged all hospitals under the Federal Ministry of Health on implemention of the full provisions of the law governing the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria ( MLSCN) while 

laboratories in state hospitals will follow.

He said with this, medical laboratories not registered with the MLSCN will be shut down.

The minister gave the charge when the MLSCN team, led by the registrar, Dr. Tosan Erhabor, paid him a courtesy visit at the Ministry of Health Headquarters in Abuja.

Ekumankama said he believes that imbibed in the “Act”, that governs the Council are powers enabling the MLSCN to regulate laboratories in hospitals across the country, hence nothing should restrain or constrain them from doing that.

“Moving forward, all hospitals under the Federal Ministry of Health will be the first set of hospitals to implement the full provisions of the law. Which will be followed by laboratories in State hospitals,” he said.

On validation of In Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs) before use in Nigeria, the minister informed that since there is a mandate backed by law, MLSCN has the support of the ministry to fully monitor, implement and enforce everything that has to do with the regulation of laboratory products.

He noted that “In regards to non-registration by government agencies, that will be resolved by the Ministry. On the issue of External Quality Assurances (EQA), henceforth all laboratories must follow due process and ensure that they are registered with the MLSCN or risk being shut down as well.”

Ekumankama, however, admonish members of the council to apply caution in the course of carrying out their mandate, ensuring that they work under the purview of the law.

He assured the team of the support and backing of the Ministry in accomplishing the mandate and responsibilities of the Council, adding that if need be, policies would be formulated to help carry out their functions smoothly geared towards achieving the mandate of Mr. President in the health sector.

“Do not relent on your good work, push more, do more, do not relax, spend more time working, in order to give your best. Be rest assured that where you need us to come in to support you, we will,” he stated.

Earlier, Dr. Erhabor, while congratulating the Minister on his appointment, informed him that the MLSCN which is a Federal State Agency of the Federal Ministry of Health, is mandated to regulate Medical Laboratory Science profession in Nigeria.

He went further to highlight some of its functions which include: Regulation of Medical Laboratory Science Practice through setting of standards; Regulation of training of would be Medical Laboratory Science practitioners through accreditation of training institution; Accreditation of Medical laboratory facilities to International Standard – ISO 15189 to guarantee international best practice among others.

Speaking further, Erhabor revealed some challenges faced by the Council to include: lack of logistics, utility vehicles, manpower, office space; political will from the federal government, to make policy statement on: External Quality Assurances (EQA), accreditation of government medical laboratories, validation of IVDs before use in Nigeria and funding of regulation activities.

He seized the opportunity to solicit for support in the Council’s efforts to actualise its mandate of guaranteeing quality laboratory health care delivery to Nigerians.