…NMA may begin strike tomorrow

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, AMLSN, has condemned doctors in the country for their opposition to a recent circular issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, authorising it to regulate the importation of In-Vitro Diagnostics, IVDs, into Nigeria.

The group stated this at a briefing in Abuja at the weekend, through its President, Dr. Godswill Okara.

The CBN had recently issued a circular demanding that the laboratory scientists take up the responsibility of regulating the importation of IVDs, which hitherto had been done by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON.

But doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, had kicked against the CBN’s directive, urging the apex bank to withdraw the circular.

The NMA, through its president, Kayode Obembe, threatened that doctors across the country would down tools, if the CBN refused to withdraw the circular.

The planned strike might begin tomorrow, as the doctors’ two-week ultimatum on the matter and other demands from government, ends today.

IVDs comprise diagnostic apparatus, namely reagent product, reagent, chemical calibrator, controlled material, kit, instrument, apparatus equipment or system, whether used alone or in combination, intended by the manufacturer to be used in-vitro for the examination of specimens, including blood and tissue donations derived from the human body, solely or principally for the purpose of providing information for diagnoses and treatment.

“It is on record that close to 50 per cent of public health in-vitro diagnostics, reagent test kits, chemical and equipment in the Nigerian today are sub-standard, fake, expired or poorly stored and distributed.

“It was in order to stem this ugly trend that the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, in keeping with her statutory mandate and the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President. decided to set up the ultra-modern Public Health In-vitro Diagnostic Control Laboratory in Nigeria, the first of such a specialised laboratory in Africa,” the association said.