By Dennis Udoma, Uyo
No fewer than 12 medical diagnostics laboratories in Akwa Ibom state were closed down by the special taskforce of the State’s Ministry of Health, for various alleged unethical practices on Friday.
The exercise, to rid the State of unwholesome practices by some of the laboratory scientists, began on Wednesday, and ended at the weekend with two arrested (names withheld), while other shops were sealed for not meeting the regulatory standard.
The affected laboratories include Zitadel Medical Diagnostics at Osongama, Ozone Diagnostics/Laboratory Services, Nung Oku Junction, Tommie Medical Laboratory and Pharmacy, Shelter Afrique, Marvin Gani Diagnostics/Pharmacy, 373 Oron Road, Pharmablaze Diagnosis, Four Lanes, Health Dunamis Medical Laboratory, Nsikak Eduok Avenue and the Nigerian Christian Institute (NCI) Medical Laboratory, IBB Way.
Others are Labora Diagnostics/Scan, Oron Road, Enoima Diagnostics/Medical Laboratory, J & L Medical diagnostics laboratory, Oron Road and Zion Medical and Diagnostics Center, 34 Umoren Street all in Uyo metropolis.
Commissioner for Health, Prof Augustine Umoh, who spoke to newsmen on the clampdown, said the exercise was in compliance with the State Executive Council’s directive to seal up substandard medical laboratories in the state.
Prof. Umoh enumerated some of the offences of the affected laboratories to include lack of certificate of registration with the State Ministry of Health, non-evidence of registration with Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria, lack of qualified laboratory scientists and allied personnel.
He also mentioned lack of test results register in the laboratories, lack of personnel operating license of laboratory technicians, as well as unethical practices to medical diagnosis.
According to him, “I have received complaints with regards to medical laboratory facilities and practice and this exercise is an attempt to correct some of these abnormalities.
“The State Executive Council has also received many of these reports and also directed that this exercise be carried out. So our intention is to use this exercise to give further directive to the practice of laboratory services in the state.
Prof. Umoh further maintained that, monitoring of medical laboratories will be extended to other parts of the state to check quackery.
“We are going out on monitoring to make sure that, laboratory services in the state are in conformity with what is expected to the extent that, the practices are at its best”
“We have started with medical laboratories in Uyo metropolis but we would certainly extend it to all nooks and crannies of the state.
Also, the Head of Monitoring /Inspection Team, Dr Augustine Udoh said, lack of precision in medical laboratory test administered to patients has resulted in poor medical diagnosis.
He said such medical diagnosis emanating from defective laboratory facilities could mislead medical Doctors from prescribing appropriate drugs for treatment of various ailments, as one of the laboratories visited was using a student on Industrial Training to work and issue test results, instead of certified laboratory personnel, while another impersonated popular names of Laboratory Scientists in the state to defraud the unsuspecting public.
” The clamp down on laboratories in the state would continue in the new year till we reposition their services to achieve health for all in the completion agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel,” Dr. Udoh stated
