Poor health sector funding affecting Universal Health Coverage – MLSCN boss
*Says Lab Scientists are core people for achieving Universal Health Coverage
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Tosan Erhabor, has decried government’s poor funding of health sector saying it is affecting the Universal Health coverage in Nigeria just as he described laboratory scientists as core people for achieving universal health coverage.
Erhabor who said this in an interview with the Blueprint at the sideline of the 14th Annual Public Health Lecture Series and induction/investiture of the West African Post-graduate College of Medical Laboratory Science (WAPCMLS) at the weekend in Lagos blamed the poor funding of health sector on government’s inconsistency in its policy thrusts.
The MLSCN boss, who said the medical scientists are the core people in achieving universal health coverage of the World Health Organisation (WHO), noted that the challenge of universal health coverage is because of the poor funding of the health sector which he said is caused by government’s deviation from its policies.
He called on government to ensure that things are done properly by ensuring that round pegs are put in the round hole for the wellbeing of the citizens.
According to him, “The medical scientists are the core people in achieving the universal health coverage. The challenge of universal health coverage is because of the poor funding of our health sector. And secondly, the policy makers deviate from the policies in Nigeria. For example, if you employ a non-qualify person as a laboratory scientist in a facility, what type of results is you expecting? We are telling government of the day to put the round peg in the round hole and make sure that the people that are there to give that diagnoses and analyses are qualified medical laboratory scientists.
He said as part of the Council’s plans aimed at improving health care delivery for Nigerians, by June 1, this year, MLSCN would roll out a policy on quality management system that will be the minimum requirement for any laboratory scientists to practice in Nigeria both in public and private in accordance with international best practice.
On National Quality Assurance, he said the Council is working tirelessly to ensure that in the next five years, the number of laboratory with International Standard Organisation (ISO) accreditation increased to 30, adding that they are working to ensure elimination of quacks in the system.
Earlier in his speech, National President, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr. Bassey Enya Bassey, had called on the young laboratory scientists to inculcate the culture of entrepreneurship to enhance their professional career.
The theme of the lecture was “Enterprise Opportunities, National Health & Economy.”
