To ensure quality laboratory services delivery in the country, all government-owned hospitals must key into the External Quality Assurance (EQA) programme. The Acting Registrar of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Mr Tosan Erhabor, stated this when a delegation from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) visited the council in Abuja. 

 

External Quality Assurance (EQA) programme is a concept targeted at upscaling the quality of laboratory testing and improving the quality of services to patients. “All government-owned hospitals must key into External Quality Assurance (EQA) and medical laboratory accreditation,” he stated. 

 

He said that that lack of adequate funds had made it difficult for the council to set up well-equipped offices in the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory ( FCT). He said: “In 2014 the council’s approved budget was N159 million; today, only N63 million was released. “In 2015, the capital appropriation was N20 million; out of this, only N9.4 million was released. 

 

Similarly, in 2016, N15 million was allocated, but only N6.4 million was released. “In 2017, there was a little improvement; out of N105 million allocated, only N50 million was released. In 2018, N38 million capital was allocated. Considering this analysis, the government’s financial support is not helping the institution.” 

 

The acting registrar said that apart from training, the capital was going down slowly and there was a need to equip zonal offices, purchase utility vehicles and infrastructure for improved service delivery. Earlier, Cdr. Kehinde Odubanjo, Team Leader of the delegation, said that the study tour was a facts-and-figures-finding mission in the council’s efforts at achieving UHC 2030 and overcoming obvious challenges before MLSCN.