The National Industrial Court (NIC) has ordered federal and state government owned health facilities in the country to create department for medical laboratory scientists. The court flayed the present situation where medical laboratory scientists do not have separate departments and were also being headed by medical doctors.

The same court had given a similar judgment in 2013, but some hospitals refused to abide by the ruling, and medical laboratory scientists went back to the NIC for interpretation of its rulings. 

 

While giving the order in two separate judgments on Friday in Abuja, Justice Nkechi Esewe, specifically gave the management of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) 30 days to comply with the ruling or be prosecuted.www.medicalworldnigeria.com

 

Delivering the first judgment in the case between medical laboratory scientists and the management of JUTH, Justice Esewe, noted that the court could have taken the JUTH management straight to prison but that it considered their status in the society and the adverse effect it would  have on the general public. 

 

In the second ruling which was in a case between the medical laboratory scientists and five other hospitals, Justice Esewe reiterated that the medical laboratory scientists should be allowed to discharge their duties freely as a distinct department without being directed by a medical doctor.   

 

The hospitals that were respondents in this case include the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki;  University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozala;  Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital Nnewi, National Othodepedic Hospita, Enugu and Parklin Hospital Enugu.