From Moshood Karim
As part of the International Biomedical Laboratory Scientists Day commemoration, the third edition of Professor Dennis Agbonlahor’s biennial public health lecture was held on 15th April, 2024 at the Benson Idahosa University in Benin City with a keynote address titled “Guardians of Quality and Patient Safety: Biomedical Laboratory Scientist.”
The lecture was delivered by the national President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi.
Presenting the lecture, Dr. Ifeanyi emphasized the need for quality service delivery in the health sector. According to him, quality is when the root cause of health challenge is brought to the fore for effective treatment.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the lecture, Dr. Ifeanyi revealed that, the dearth of quality healthcare services in Nigeria, is fueling medical tourism. He emphasized that quality is not hyperbolic, but simply doing the right thing at the right time to the right person for the best possible outcome. He added that until Nigeria is able to get that right, the country will continue to be plagued by medical tourism.
According to Dr. Ifeanyi, medical tourism is not limited to the rich in Nigeria. Politicians, government officials, and individuals with debilitating conditions that cannot be dealt with in Nigeria are all traveling abroad for medical care. He highlighted that the only professionals who are bringing the ambience of quality and standard to the healthcare sector in Nigeria are the Medical Lab Scientists.
According to him: “No other professional in the health care industry brings semblance of quality because the medical laboratory service is to be provided pursuant to ISO 15189, 2012 and that is what we are seeking to mainstream in Nigeria. That is the global set standard for quality.”
Dr. Ifeanyi further stated that bureaucratic frustration and a lack of political will to activate the secret of quality healthcare remains the bane of quality healthcare in Nigeria.
He emphasized that if Nigeria wants to revamp the health sector and put an end to medical tourism, it needs to strengthen its medical laboratory services and structure. “The secret to ending medical tourism lies in the hands of Medical Laboratory Scientists,” he added.
Dr. Ifeanyi also shed light on the vaccine enterprise in Nigeria, stating that corruption is rampant in this industry. He emphasized that as a professional group, they can halt the corrupt practices. He also stressed that it is crucial for Nigeria to begin producing vaccines locally to ensure that the precursor elements in their manufacture are not alien to the etiology ecosystem of the diseases they are used for in Nigeria.
Dr. Ifeanyi called for more support for the medical laboratory scientists in Nigeria while highlighting that Nigeria has the human resources to produce vaccines locally, and it is time to halt the corrupt practices that are prevalent in the vaccine industry.
Earlier, the first plenary lecture on Laboratory Biosafety and Role of the Medical Laboratory Scientists was delivered by the Dean faculty of Alied Health Science of the University, Dr. Raphael Erhunmwunse where he explained that Laboratory Scientists play an important role in ensuring that effective processes are in place for proper diagnoses of health issues.
The acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Johnson Olajide Oyedije expressed delight at hosting the event while describing medical laboratory scientists as the unsung heroes in the medical profession. He announced that the first set of medical lab students will graduate in the next few months.
Edo State commissioner for health, Dr. Samuel Ali emphasied the critical role of Laboratory Scientists in the medical ecosystem. He said the theme for his year aptly describes the essence of the profession as the unsung heroes of the medical sector.
On his part, the Chairman of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Edo State chapter, Dr. Nosakhare Idemudia, lauded the works and contributions of Professor Dennis Agbolahor to the medical laboratory profession.
According to him: “I believe there is need to celebrate him in his life time. That is the reason we organised this lecture and to the glory of God, we have sustained it in the past years and today, we are marking the third edition and we hope that subsequent administrations after ours will continue along the line.
“Today is the day we celebrate ourselves. Bring to the fore what we do and our contributions to the health sector.”
