Lab scientists call for national health summit amidst health crisis

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria has called for a national health research summit of all medical practitioners to draw up solutions to the crisis rocking the healthcare delivery sector in Nigeria.

Suggested at the maiden annual scientific conference organized by the Delta state branch of MLSN, which held in Asaba, the proposed national summit would afford stakeholders to appraise the challenges plaguing the health sector.

Among other issues raised in its communique issued at the end of the conference, AMLSN observed that the emergence of COVID-19 had exposed the need for professionals in the health sector to work as a team to overcome the virus challenge and any other challenge which might be faced in the future.

Stakeholders also advocated that for future pandemic preparedness, there is need for a broad view of global health security that incorporated universal health coverage, NCDs, sustainable development and human rights, to address multiple societal challenges.

‘’Conference agreed that there is need for annual research summit for all stakeholders in the health sector to take stock of challenges in the sector with a view to proffering solutions to these challenges”, they stated.

While noting that preparedness and response to pandemic touch many ethical issues, they proposed a more stable funding commitment and financing mechanism for both efficient emergency response and long-term preparedness.

They commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state for the employment of medical laboratory scientists and other health workers into the state public service, and setting up PCR in the state’s tertiary health institutions.

In the same vein, they identified the need to develop a rapid and comprehensive research ecosystem and strengthened mechanisms for evidence-based policy-making that could handle uncertainties.

However, they lamented the non-creation of the Directorate of Medical Laboratory Service in the state ministry of health, stating that such negatively affected medical laboratory practice in the state.