Posted on: Thu 06-10-2016

WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT AMLSN AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 52ND NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP OF THE ASSOCIATION -TARABA 2016 (WONDERS OF NATURE 2016) ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016.

Protocols:

1.0 Introduction: Distinguished guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, gentlemen of the Press, our coming together again this year is as usual, a fulfilment of the objectives of the founding fathers of our Association which among others include: 
(a)To promote high standard of Medical Laboratory Science Education
(b) To promote knowledge of Medical Lab Science through scientific meetings, seminars, workshops, discussions, reports and publications
(c) To promote the advancement of health of all persons seeking health care services through provision of efficient, cost effective and quality medical lab services 
(d) To promote the welfare of all members of the Association, among other objectives.
From March 1964 when the Association was founded till date, we as members of the association have consistently kept our words and we shall continue to do this and even better!

2.0 The Theme for this year’s Conference and Workshop which is Tumour Micro-Environments: Basic and Applied Strategies for Combating Health Challenges was chosen as a result of the increasing menace of cancer and tumour related health challenges. It is sad to note that despite all the advances in diagnosis and treatment of cancer and tumour related health challenges, many lives are still lost to cancer and cancer related diseases. It is noteworthy that though old approaches to cancer diagnosis and management is no longer practiced in civilized countries of the world where personalized medicine is the new order, the ‘one-cap-fit-all’ approach of health practice which is the old order in Nigeria, deserves attention. Effective patients’ management is based on individuals’ body responses to infections, tumours and other health challenges. It will be recalled that, AMLSN has had a cordial working relationship with the National Cancer Control Program of the FMoH in recent times. I recall with delight, the visible presence of AMLSN at the National Cancer Screening Scale-up by National Cancer Control Program of the FMoH between October 5-6, 2015.
We as AMLSN members have continuously seen the need to repeatedly lay emphasis on early screening, confirmation and management of tumour, infections and other health challenges. That is why we have selected a keynote Speaker-one of our own Professor Marycelin Baba and other experts to do justice to the theme, sub themes and other topics during this conference and workshop.

3.0 Overview of the activities during this Conference/Workshop: The conference is to provide opportunities for sharing professional skills, knowledge, ideas and networking that will facilitate effective patients care. I commend the NOC/LOC of Wonders of Nature 2016 Conference and workshop for excellently packaging all activities of the Conference/Workshop.

4.0 AMLSN in the last one year under my leadership: Distinguished Colleagues, there has never been any dull moment in our association in the last one year and this will be specifically addressed during our AGM on Friday, but permit me to use the opportunity of this opening ceremony to appreciate all members of our Association for the confidence reposed in the National Executive Officers under my leadership. Certainly, the last one year has been eventful. The dividends of the mandate and trust which you freely gave us are trickling in. Some of these are already visible, some are work in progress. Let me use this opportunity to commend the Head of Civil Service of the Federation-Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita - an erudite and astute Administrator who for the first time under her as the Head Of Civil Service of the Federation gave AMLSN the opportunity to address the Technical Session of the National Council on Establishment (NCE) at the meeting in Mina Niger State on July 18th, 2016 to defend the memo sent to NCE on the ratification of the Evaluation Report by FME on AIMLT professional Qualification as an equivalent of Bachelor’s degree of any Nigerian University. It is our hope and believe that the memo and other memos submitted to HOS will be given accelerated approvals including that on the creation of the Department of Medical Laboratory Services in the FMoH (in line with the Medical Lab Services Policy 2009 and the Medical Lab Services Strategic Plan Documents launched by FMoH last year and also in line with various judicial pronouncements.

5.0 State of the Nation
(i) Elimination of Disharmony in Health Sector: AMLSN has observed with serious concern, the rate at which some public office holders are using the instrumentality of public office to oppress and suppress other health professionals in Nigeria. The Disharmony in the Health Sector is further fuelled by this attitude. This no doubt, is against the code of conduct of public office holders. It is a breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers who are officially and legally not allowed to use the public position they occupy, to pursue personal interests. It is our hope that the resolution of disharmony in the health sector through the proposed committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment will achieve its objectives. This will be in line with Rtd Justice Abdulahi Bello Gusau’s report of 2011 on how to ensure harmony in health sector where it is recommended that every profession in the Health sector should be allowed to grow to the peak of their career and head their practice. It is worthy of repetition here that AMLSN will resist any white paper based on Yayale Ahmed’s Committee report which attempted to put Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria under the headship of Pathologists.

(ii) Implementation of the National Health Act 2014: AMLSN urges the FGN to ensure that all aspects of the National Health Act 2014 that are aimed at improving quality of health services in Nigeria are implemented. At this same opening ceremony last year, we advised that allocation of 15% of the 1% Consolidated Revenue of FGN (as Basic Health Care Provision Fund) for equipment and consumables in Health facilities as stipulated in the NHA 2014 should be implemented. Priority attention should be accorded to the equipment and commodities needed for quality and efficient medical laboratory services in all the health facilities in Nigeria and to promote Universal Health Coverage as envisioned by WHO, the NHA, 2014 and the Medical Laboratory Services Strategic Plan Document of FGN 2015-2019. We also want to reiterate here that this strategy remains one of the best solution to strengthening laboratory services in this country. We again here restate that 50% of the 1% Consolidated Revenue of FGN dedicated to the NHIS in NHA 2014 is provided to strengthen the scheme. Medical Laboratory Scientists must benefit from the 10% of the 1% consolidated revenue of FGN allocated for the training of human resources for health under the NHA, 2014. The era of strengthening the capacity of few members of a profession using our collective resources to the exclusion of other health professionals, are no longer acceptable to us.

(iii) Implementation of all courts judgement: AMLSN realizes and believes in the fact that other option left when negotiations, persuasions, discussions and dialogues fail is to approach courts of competent jurisdiction for adjudication. It is worrisome that anarchy is been promoted by the refusal to obey various court judgments in favour of medical lab scientists. It is worthy of note that National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) which is the court of competent jurisdiction in industrial matters in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 ruled clearly in favour of Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria and against the Pathologists. These landmark judgments were given for examples, in AMLSN vs FMC Asaba Management & Others (Suit No: NICN/ABJ/128/ 2012-Judgement delivered in 2013); AMLSN vs Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) Management & Others (Suit No: NICN/JOS/8/2014-Judgement delivered on the 5th of October, 2015); AMLSN/NUAHP(formerly NUPMTPAM) vs Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Management & Others (Suit No NICN/ABJ/284/2014-Judgement delivered on 27th January, 2016), AMLSN VS University of Uyo Teaching Hospital & 2ors V. HAGF & Minister of Justice & 7ors NICN/ABJ/285/2014 delivered on 9th June, 2016. There was no stay of execution on these judgements and as such, must be obeyed if anarchy in the health sector is to be avoided! 

(iv) Ban on Inspection and Monitoring of Medical Laboratories in Nigeria: AMLSN calls on the FMoH to urgently withdraw the ban on inspection and monitoring of medical laboratories in Nigeria. Since the ban was placed on MLSCN by FMOH through a letter to Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) in February this year, many quacks who had earlier run away from medical Laboratories due to the inspection by MLSCN have regrettably, since returned to medical laboratory services. This has further endangered lives and quality of laboratory services to the masses of this country. Many lives had been lost in the process due to misdiagnosis and wrong diagnosis. Many Professional malpractices have escaped detection. We hereby urge the FMOH not to allow this trends to continue in the laboratory services; after all, regulatory activities of other health professional bodies have never been so truncated as done to MLSCN by FMOH.

(v) Reconstitution of Boards of Health Regulatory Bodies in the Country: It is obvious that an unregulated health care practice would promote the use of unregulated professionals to render regulated services. This can make an institution and or individual to be liable. We therefore urged President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), to as matter of urgency, reconstitute Boards of MLSCN and other health regulatory Bodies to ensure quality health services to the citizens of this country.

(vi) Integration of Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria to the Rapid Results Initiatives (RRI) and Save One million lives Initiative of the Hon Minister of Health: The Hon Minister of Health recently announced the RRIs and Save one million Lives Initiatives targeted at fixing at least 109 PHCs out of the 25,000 to 30,000 in the country, mass screening of the citizens for cancer, diabetes, hypertension and other health challenges in rural and urban communities in Nigeria. These definitely, cannot be effectively and reliably done without involving the Medical Laboratory Scientists. We therefore call on the Hon Minister of Health to integrate and utilize the professional expertise of Medical Laboratory Scientists in achieving the RRIs and other related initiatives of FMoH.

`` `1 (vii) Activities of Committee of CMDs/MDs/DGs: AMLSN urges the Committee of CMDs/MDs/DGs to ensure that the attempt to frustrate growth and development in Medical Laboratory Science Profession is stopped forthwith. All health professions must be allowed to grow and develop for maxim quality health services. The 21st century Heath care is expected to put the patients care first; far and above professional sentiments and arrogance. We also urge the FMoH to give directive to Committee of CMDs/MDs/DGs some of who are in the habit of using their public position entrusted to them to intimidate, oppress and suppress medical lab scientists and other health professional groups in their institution to put an end to the obnoxious practice.

(viii) Security of lives and properties in Nigeria: It is with deep sense of sorrow and concern that medical laboratory scientists in Nigeria and in Diaspora express worry on the rate at which lives and properties of innocent citizens in Nigeria are irreparably destroyed! Many of our colleagues and other professionals in Diaspora who had wished to return to Nigeria to contribute their quota to national development have been scared away as a result. This situation sadly attained its climax on Wednesday June 8, 2016 when yet-to-be-identified killer terminated the live of our gentle, amiable, caring, and astute Ag Registrar-Mrs Olufunke Folashade Omotuyi. The question since then has been who killed Mrs Olufunke Folashade Omotuyi? The seeming lack of any clue on who killed Mrs Olufunke Omotuyi till date since then, is an indication that the law enforcement agents in this country need to redouble efforts in crime detection and prevention if the citizens of this country are to continue to have trust in Nigeria. It is our hope and prayer that no sooner than later, God Himself will arrest and put to shame, those who are directly or indirectly responsible for Mrs Olufunke Folashade Omotuyi’s killing. May her gentle soul however, continue to rest in perfect peace-Amen!

6.0 Conclusion/Appeal to participants: The whole of this week is expected to be action packed. The expected gains of this conference/workshop on service delivery and strengthening of the health system in Nigeria, are enormous. I therefore appeal to all participants to actively participate in all the activities of the conference/workshop. Awards in the various specialties for outstanding scientific papers at this conference/workshop, await deserving participants.

I welcome you all to this 52nd scientific conference & workshop!

Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria!! Long live AMLSN!!!

Thank you and God bless you all.

Alh Toyosi .Y. Raheem
National President, AMLSN.

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