Justice

Medical laboratory scientists have urged the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) to implement the National Industrial Court order directing it to establish a Department of Medical Laboratory Science Service.

Mr. Bot Yakubu, the Chairman of their body, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (ALMSN), in Plateau, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos.

NAN reports that the court order, which was given in Abuja on Friday, by Justice Nkechi Ezowe, also directed that the department must be headed by a medical laboratory scientist.

“Implementing this order will put an end to medical doctors (pathologists) heading the medical laboratory science department,” he said.

He advised the management of JUTH to comply with the court’s ruling “in the interest of the patients”.

“The JUTH management must also comply to avoid being accused of contempt of court; the consequence of non-compliance after 30 days is a prison sentence. Management cannot risk that,” he said.

He explained that the training and enabling law regulating the practice of medical doctors did not endorse their insistence on heading medical laboratories.

“On the other hand, the MLSCN Act 11 of 2003 empowers medical laboratory scientist to practice and manage medical laboratories,” he pointed out.

According to him, the judgement will enable a medical scientist to head the department, formulate policies, run and manage the laboratories professionally.

“That will also enable the medical scientist to represent the interest of the laboratory at top management meetings where decisions on procurement of reagents and equipment, and the recruitment of professionals will be considered,” he said.

He said that it would also empower the professional scientist to takes responsibilities of all laboratory inputs and outputs (results), and ensure they were generated in concordance with approved procedures to assist maximally in clinical management of patients.

(NAN)