Distinguished Colleagues, it is worthy of mention that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the inherent gaps in the Nigerian health system and all the components of the system were not spared.
More importantly, the WHO insisted on testing, testing and testing as the gateway to effective response, thereby placing the Medical Laboratories and its professionals as the epicentre of health informatics, being the first responders. This places huge challenges on the Medical Laboratories.
Obviously, the Medical Laboratories and its professionals have risen to the challenges but not without the inherent and limiting factors that have been identified as gaps.
The Country is battling with how to ramp up testing amidst ravaging COVID-19 Pandemic.
The big questions are have we given our best as a profession? What more can we do to help the FGN response going forward? These and other sundry issues are worth brainstorming about.
In the Post COVID-19 era, There is no doubt that Government at different levels have a lot to do with regards to health system strengthening in Nigeria.
However, what can the Regulator of the MLS profession in Nigeria, the Stakeholders and practitioners do better in the Post COVID-19 era in order to reposition the Medical Laboratories and its Professionals for optimal services to the Nation especially in crucial moments like this?
So what are the gaps in terms of :
- Infrastructure
- Technical expertise
- Policies documents & implementation
- In Country production of diagnostics & Laboratory consumables
- Research
- Vaccine production and other key areas aimed at strengthening the MLS in Nigeria.
Then, Recommendations on the way forward.
It is also important to identify colleagues and organizations either private or Public that can help drive the actualization of these recommendations.
Other novel ideas especially with practical back grounding will be highly appreciated .
Osaretin Agbonlahor is the chairman of AMLSN , Edo state. He can be reached via agbonlahorosaretin@gmail.com or via WhatsApp 08036618156.
Disclaimer: the views expressed above are those of the author and it doesn’t in any way reflect our opinion.
