Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria

The Association of Pathologists of Nigeria (ASSOPON) has recently developed a penchant for bandying about fallacies to deceive the public as evident in their publications in THISDAY newspaper of Friday18/10/2013 page 36H. The Guardian 8/5/2013 page 44, The Guardian newspaper 2519/2012 page 57 and others in various national dailies. The tissue of misinformation in these publications have been previously addressed by tlie Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) in public notices and Press statements of 1/3/03 (Guardian); 22/5/03 (Punch); 8111/04 (Guardian); 17f11/03 (Guardian); 22/3/041 

(Punch); 27/9/04 (Punch); 19/4/06 (Punch) and a host of other publications. Even before reading the piece in Guardian of 18/10/13, once informed of the bel-ligerent tone of the piece. one quickly guessed the likely source; and in the end was 

proved right Despite acknowledging ab initio that "Having gone through the MLSCN advertorial we did not see anything wrong with the content to worry about". the authors proceeded to denigrate virtually every other professional group in the health 

sector. This they did on the excuse of clearing "The concerns of numerous patriotic citizens who wanted to know (not from any other source except ASSOPON) the type and nature of national authority the MLSCN claims to possess: 

At any rate, it must by now be clear to any unbiased observer that the leadership of ASSOPON has a penchant for mudslinging, and it does not need any excuse to unleash attack on any person or group. Driven by insatiable ego, unrelieved cornbativeness and the desire to perpetuate Victorian-era approach to medicine, the leadership of the group while ignoring the axiom that it is better to keep quiet when one has nothing meaningful to say, embarked on a press war that is capable of over-heating the volatile health sector. For example, in a desperate attempt to fill the newspaper space to which the group had needlessly devoted its resources. ASSOPON had to drag the good name of the Chairman. House Committee on Health'Hon. Ndudi Elumelu into the line of fire for daring to exercise his freedom of speech as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. To suggest that the esteemed legislator "Was misquoted or was misinformed by persons who wanted to capitalize on his presence to achieve undeserved relevance" was uncouth and uncalled for. particularly since ASSOPON has not shown evidence of mandate from Hon. Ndudi Elumelu to explain or refute this statement on his behalf. For avoidance of doubt and to put the records right we state as follows: 

1. Law. A Respecter of Nobody  WWW.MEDICALWORLDNIGERIA.COM

It is laughable that ASSOPON does not understand that the Medical Laboratory Science Council law confers statutory powers on the Council as the National Authority to regulate medical laboratory services wherever it is practised in Nigeria. just as it mandates the Pharmacists' Council of Nigeria to regulate the practice of pharmacy in Nigeria no matter whatever name the facility in which the profession is practised is called or whosoever owns thefacility. This is the position of the law as already confirmed by the jUdgment of the Federal High Court. Umuahia in the MLSCN vs Attorney-General of the Federation & 3 others; as well as in the case of Pharmacists' Council of Nigeria (PCN) vs Association of General Private Medical 

Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) in Lagos. 

 

The position of the law as enunciated in Act 11. 2003 (M 25 LFN, 2004) is unambiguous as it mandates the MLSCN to among other functions. "Inspect. regulate and accredit medical laboratories(Section 4h)" and "To make rules for maintenance of good standard of medical laboratory practice and ~ with respect to statutory inspection, approval and monitoring of all medical laboratories including those adjoined to clinics, private and public health institutions (Section 19d)" National Regulatory Authority. For the avoidance of doubt, we commend the MlSCN for continuously championing efforts to eradicate disharmony in the health sector by reaching out to the leadership of other health professions especially for inviting other professional groups to the maiden edition of the Medical Laboratory Services Forum. We also salute the MDCN for being conspicuously represented at the event. 

2.0 Modem Healthcare Practice: The Incontrovertible Facts 

2.1 Distinguished and Eminent Physicians, PathologiSts and Surgeons 

The point has to be made that the silent majority of enlightened and exposed physicians. pathologists and surgeons do appreciate the pivotal role of the profession of medical laboratory science in the healthcare fraternity in Nigeria. Indeed, they have. actively played monumental roles in the growth and development of the profession in Nigeria. because of their firm conviction that the profession remains the back-bone of modem healthcare practice. The Association of Medical Laboratory 

Scientists of Nigeria pays glowing tribute to these noble men and women of insight and foresight who are beacons of hope and encouragement in the Nigerian health· care sector. It was Professor J. C. Edozien, (His Royal Majesty. the Asagba of 

Asaba) a world-class Chemical Pathologist who initiated the first 5-Year University Bachelors degree programme in medical laboratory science in the University of Ibadan in 1965 when he was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. 

 

An eminent surgeon, the late Dr. S. l. Adesuyi. the then Chief Medical Adviser to the Federal Military Government had said on the 10th of March. 1970; "Medical laboratory technology constitutes a Key profession in the medical fraternity. It provides 

prompt and accurate diagnosis in most conditions, thus allowing scientific and effective treatment to be instituted. It also forms the back-bone of medical research. It is therefore fitting and proper that the profession be placed on the right footing by this timely establishment of our Institute.· 

 

Dr. Adesuyi in his inaugural speech had predicted that "the profession of medical laboratory science will make greater and greater contributions to the health and welfare of our people." Professor O. O. Akinkugbe CON, NNOM. one of the finest physicians Africa has ever produced. had in his Committee Report (2004) on "Strengthening the Management and Coordination of Federal Tertiary Institutions" recemmended the creation of the Office of Director of Medical LaboratoryServices in line with the medical Laboratory Scientists' scheme of service and the national Medical Laboratory Services Policy . What a fulfillment of the farsighted predictions of DR.S.L.Adesuyi 43 years ago. Similarly, Professor E.A.Elebute, Prof.F.Akpuaka, Prof.W.I.Onuigbo, Prof.Wole Atoyebi (an accomplished former President of the Nigerian  Medical Association), Professor Idris Mohammed NNOM, Professor Tolu

 

Odugbemi NNOM, are snining examples of Nigerian physicians, pathologists and surgeons who have displayed tremendous effort in promoting the spirit of professional fraternity, teamwork and simultaneous development of the professions in the health sector. 

Prof. E.A. Elebute, a former Provost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, years back had said: "All the methods of the art of Medicine are still of great value but in the modem practice of medicine, the doctor must add scientific methods of diagnosis and treatment in order to succeed. It is the Medical Laboratory Scientist who must carry out the bulk of the work involved in applying scientific methods to the diagnosis of disease. A doctor who omits or ;s not provided with facilities for laboratory investigations will fail to arrive at correct diagnosis, In the former instance he may fail to alleviate the suffering of his patients, while in the latter he becomes a mere purveyor of poly-pharmacy." 

2.2 Double Standard at its Worst Display 

The paradox in the ASSOPON's advertorial is instructive. The same group whose main preoccupation is who heads the laboratory.incredibly asserts as follows: "Only 5 - 10% of outpatient consultations require laboratory services". It seems incomprehensible that the all knowing ASSOPON should continue to aspire to head a sector they consider inconsequential in the scheme of things. The piece even goes further to state: "It is only in 10- 20% of cases that the medical doctor may order for ancillary investigations like X-rays, Ultrasound. Endoscopy, ECG, Echocardiography,. laboratory tests. etc. Therefore, laboratory tests are certai.nly not the only investigations ordered by the doctor in those 10-20% cases where he needs ancillary support services: ASSOPON would like Nigerians to believe that it is actually in only in 2 or 3% of the cases that laboratory investigations are required, but that suggestion is contrary to any empirical evidence, and not even during the Victorian era that ASSOPON seems fixated on was medicine practiced that way. With physicians as those represented by ASSOPON. Nigerians now better appreciate the reason for the exodus of our citizens to other countries for medical tourism i.e. professional malprac- tice due to ego and neglect of scientific diagnostic tools in preference for only signs and symptoms of disease which ASSOPON wrongly defined as pathology: yet we worry about the attendant mortality, morbidity and capital flight? 

2.3 Our Society is Wiser 

We are encouraged by the fact that our people are now wiser and much more demanding of quality healthcare. and by the fact that those of them who have sought medical treatment abroad would confirm whether it is the prevailing practice for their 

foreign physicians to refer them to thorough laboratory and other tests before commencing treatment or, as ASSOPON is proud to prescribe, they rely on incongruous "Clinical acumen and judgment "Moreover, if it is true that, as ASSOPON has suggested, Nigerian phySicians do not send their patients to the laboratory to help diagnose the problem but "mainly for determining the extent or degree of progression of the disease.  "we need not look far for the reason behind the poor management of cases in our hospitals. 

Modern healthcare refers to the science of diagnosing, treating, forecasting or preventing disease. It is obvious that the laboratory is indispensable to modern healthcare. However to set the records straight. laboratory results provide the basis of 60% -70% of medical decisions (Forssmann W. 1996. Why is the laboratory an after-thought for managed care organizations? Clinical Chemistry; 42:813-816). In addition to routine diagnostics in symptomatic patients, laboratory tests are used for screening. treatment monitoring and medical jurisprudence. ASSOPON must learn to live with this fact as well as current realities! The advertorial content is tantamount to cutting off one's nose to spite the face. 

3.0 First-born Mentality Syndrome 

Some of the assertions in the ASSOPON publications referred to above expose the malady their authors are grappling with. The 'first-born mentality' of some fellows does not allow them to appreciate and accept the dynamism and inevitability of human growth. professional and social developmental change and evolution. The fact of nature dictates that change is the only constant factor in human and social existence, That you were the first to exist does not make you the greatest, the wisest or the best. For example, the United Kingdom colonized the United States of America, but today USA is the greatest and the only super power on earth. Every profession had its humble beginning. Physicians and surgeons started their training as apprenticeship in Europe. Medicine in Nigeria started as a certificate and diploma training programme in Yaba Technical College. Lagos and Kano Royal School of Hygiene. Doctors were then trained as medical assistants. 

 

It is common knowledge that every profession evolves. The application of digital technology to medicine is changing its colour beyond what it was even two decades ago. It has also been reported that the history of medicine is traceable to ancient Egypt, while the concepts of diagnosis, prognosis and medical examination have been traced to the Egyptians and Babylonians. Medical Ethics evolved in Greece where the famous Hippocratic Oath was reportedly written in the 5th Century BC. 

Not forgetting that the systematic training of physicians, according to available records, began in Italy around 1220. Yet it is unlikely that these pioneers would refuse to acknowledge the fact that generations of professionals' across the world 

have advanced the cause of medicine beyond what they themselves could have imagined earlier. What is important is that various professionals could unite and break new grounds in the diagnosis, prevention, forecasting, treatment and management of diseases. This is what should matter to the patient and the professional rather than the mentality of "I must be in-charge or else the world would collapse". 

CONCLUSION

We would, therefore, urge the leadership of aSSOPON to please sheath its sword and allow peace to reign in the health sector especially at this time when the President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) has thought it fit to intervene in the lingering