Lab scientists lament alleged victimisation by doctors

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the ministers of Health and Justice to prevail on the members of the College of Nigerian Pathologists to stop alleged attacks on its members.

The AMLSN made this call in a communiqué issued and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ifeanyichukwu Cajetan, after the association’s 200th Executive Council Meeting in Calabar in Cross River State.

Cajetan said, “We fervently appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and end permanently the malevolence being meted to medical laboratory scientists in all our health institutions.”

He also urged the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire to caution the Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of tertiary hospitals under his supervision.

The AMLSN also urged the Health minister to evolve a process that would  end the incessant victimisation of medical laboratory scientists serving in all federal and state tertiary hospitals in the country.

Cajetan said the association was “concerned about the grave consequences of this tragic and hostile situation on our health sector because at the receiving end are patients who come to receive care.”

He alleged that “a war of attrition is being waged against the medical laboratory science profession and its members in Nigeria in some hospitals.”

Cajetan accused medical doctors, mainly pathologists of abandoning their duties by usurping the roles and duties of medical laboratory scientists.

He added, “This is happening when pathologists are not trained to perform laboratory testing duties.”

He said the association had over “17 court judgments on victimisation in its favour across teaching hospitals and federal medical centres” in the country.

“Contemptuously, the Federal Ministry of Health vide a memo Ref. NO: DHS/121/l, dated, March 21, 2014, directed all CMDs/MDs not to comply with the judgments,” he lamented.