The retreat held between 2nd and 4th dec 2016 was chaired by Mr Kehinde Adegoke the branch chairman. It was attended by the branch officers, leaders of the association, sixteen out of 22 chapter chairmen of the branch, chairmen and secretaries of Guild of Medical laboratory directors ( GMLD) and Blood Bank Society of Nigeria (BBSB).

 

STATE OF THE NATION:

The Association appreciates the government of president Muhammad Buhari for employment of more medical laboratory scientists and interns nationwide; introduction of Laboratory revolving funds and procurement of diagnostic facilities in some Institutions in Lagos like LUTH. The Association also congratulates President Muhamadu Buhari GCFR; Prof. Isaac Adewole , the hon.minister of health and Mr Tosan Erhabor the Ag. Registrar, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) on the accreditation of 4 indigenous Medical Laboratories by International Standardard Organisation. This is a feat and first of its kind in Nigeria. We appeal to the honourable Minister of health to implement scheme of service and court judgements to enable proper administration of public laboratories so that federal hospital laboratories can attain such international standard. Three of the four accredited laboratories are run by medical laboratory scientists while the remaining one has her operation headed by an mls.

 

The Association also appeals to the President to inaugurate the board of Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria ( MLSCN) to enable her carry out her statutory duties. 

 

The retreat viewed with concern the state of Nigerian economy and is saddened that the recession is hitting hard on the health of Nigerians.The cost of effective healthcare has gone beyond the reach of average Nigerians as the cost of power, procuring Medical laboratory consumables,reagents and equipment has become extremely prohibitive, thereby taking the cost of Medical laboratory services out of reach of needy Lagosians while the high unemployment rate has made it difficult for more enrollment into NHIS. As a result of this, our health institutions are overstretched with admissions since our primary health care centres cannot cope with the demands. 

 

Our Association therefore call on federal government to fast track effort on revamping our economy as the current state of economy has worsen the health indices , morbidity and mortality of Nigerians.

 

RAPID RESULT INITIATIVES (RRI) OF FMOH : The retreat commend the federal Government for the rapid result initiatives but strongly condemn non involvement of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria ( AMLSN) in the policy formulation and implementation of the scheme. The retreat reiterated that for effective coverage,there is need for the involvement of private Medical Laboratories in the scheme because many indigent patients may not have money to go to accredited hospitals. In a place like Lagos, the facilities are accessible to only elite patients in mainland and Island due to cost of transportation and distance. If registered private Medical Laboratories are used , wider coverage and higher penetration will be achieved, as the centres will be a walking distance to the target Nigerians. The retreat also call on federal ministry of health to consider the ethical and environmental hazards of tests being run by unlicensed hands in public places and pharmacies, and direct withdrawal of adverts directing Nigerians to go for test in other places than accredited Medical Laboratories.

 

CREATION OF DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SERVICE: The retreat commend the efforts and giant strides of management of federal facilities in Lagos such as LUTH , Neuro psychiatric Hospital Yaba, federal medical centre Ebute Metta, and National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi. The Retreat called on the institutions to create department of Medical Laboratory services in those hospitals to be headed by medical Laboratory Scientists for effective administration of laboratory services. Money being put in laboratory services by those institutions would have made better impact if there has been a department of laboratory services headed by a Med.Lab.Scientist. The department of medical laboratory services is a department like surgery , medicine, chemical pathology, nursing , engineering hematology , pharmacy etc. hence does not in anyway portend adverse effect on the practise of pathology but compliment it.

 

COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH INSURANCE : Our Association commends the lagos state government on the Introduction of community based health Insurance scheme, provision of access to heath care and various innovations and revolution being witnessed in heath sector of Lagos state and called on government to involve the Guild Of Medical Medical Laboratory Directors (GMLD) Lagos state branch in the implementation of the scheme for effective coverage. The retreat also called on Lagos state government to harness global capitation and give capitation directly to primary.

 

CHALLENGES OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS IN LAGOS CIVIL SERVICE:_

The retreat extensively considered the challenges of MLSs in Lagos State employment. Issues raised included Dichotomy in nomenclature and operation of two or more schemes of service, stagnation at GL14 of so called Technologists non implementation of EEP and others.

It was agreed that a Position paper be made for necessary actions, and presented during courtesy calls to head of LASUTH, LSHSC and other relevant authorities and Ministries in Alausa.

 

CHAPTER TRANSITION : The retreat condemn the sit tight approach of some chapter chairmen who had been in office beyond the statutory three year tenure with some even staying up to eight years. The retreat directed the executive officers of the Chapters concerned to ensure change of guards latest by 31st January 2017 failing upon which the administrations in such chapters will get dissolved.

 

CONTINOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The retreat reviewed with concern the indiscrimnate and exploitatative organisation of CPDs by chapters, organisations and individuals, the retreat discovered that most of this CPDs are motivated by pecuniary objectives and are mostly lacking in content and character , the retreat decided that hencefort, all chapters, organisations and individuals organising CPDs must obtain clearance and accreditation from branch scientific and practise enhancement committee ( SPEC). The branch urge the MLSCN to demand branch recommendation from bodies organising CPD in Lagos before acrreditation. This will ensure standardisation and protection of vulnerables.

 

INVESTITUTURE: The retreat fix invesituture and innaguration of new executive council and standing committeees for Fri. 9th February 2017.

 

AMLSN LAGOS STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AGENDA: 

The retreat approved the reviewed 10 years AMLSN Lagos Strategic Developmental Agenda, the reviewed agenda will be unveiled during the investiture ceremony

 

AMLSN ORDER OF PROTOCOL : The retreat adopted order of protocol as follows : 

National President and officers;branch chairmen and branch officers; chairmen of affiliates/sub groups; chapter chairmen and chapter officers.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA OPERATION: The retreat raised concern over the abuse of branch official platform. The retreat endorsed approval of two other administrators to the board of administrators. Henceforth all adverts and promotions must go through approval of board of administrators who shall post same on board reccomendation.

 

THE LAGOS JOURNAL OF LABORATORY MEDICINE : 

The retreat approved the publication of branch official journal named 'The Lagos journal of laboratory Medicine'The detail will be passed to the Education and Professional Development Committee

 

DATA BASE: Due to dynamic nature of Lagos ,the retreat gave a deadline of Jan 31st for submission of reviewed database by chapters, any chapter whose data base is not in by 31st January stand the risk of having her members not recognised. The reviewed data base will henceforth be used by Employment and Mentoring committee for liaising with employers of Labour for employment and internship in Lagos state labour sector both public and private.

 

WEBSITE : The retreat approved the hosting of official website by January 31st. The detail is to be worked out by PRO and Media committee

 

NEGLECTED ARREARS OF MEDICAL LABORATORY PRACTISE: The retreat approved the encouragement of our members to go into arears of epidemiology, forensic Medicine, slide reading in Histopathology,mortuary and embalment service , genetics , Toxicology, molecular biology among many other arrears.The education committee is to work with institutions to run programmes and postings in identified areas for capacity building.

 

CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT: The retreat in session noted the need for chapter development and has set machinery in motion for chapter development and mentoring, need for creation of more chapters was identified. Need for creation of unit within some chapters were also identified.

 

BYE -LAW: The retreat identified needs for bye laws and the branch will set up committee for such in the coming year

 

INDISCRIMINATE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIVATE LABORATORIES: The retreat noted with concern the havoc being rendered by indiscriminate establishment of laboratories in the state, it endorsed five years post NYSC experience as minimum for setting up private practise and minimum of 3 years mentoring by senior private medical laboratory practitioners.The retreat also approved minimum lab distance. The interagency committee will be directed to work on this with MLSCN and HEFAMAA on the principle of later laboratory to relocate. The retreat also endorse operation of standardised price regime in Lagos state

 

APPOINTMENT : The retreat approved nomination into standing committees to work with the executive.The committee's will be inaugurated at the invesituture ceremony.

 

APPRECIATION: The branch officers appreciates our menbers for the selfless service in the outgoing year and their support during the election.

 

The Association wishes all Nigerians in general and lagosians in particular a merry christmass and properous new year in advance

 

Signed

Kehinde M.Adegoke. 

Chairman.